King
by heyits.reagan
Summary: Tails has always been fine hanging back and letting others be the hero. When he agrees to attend a boarding school on an island he's never heard of though, suddenly the tables are turned. This time, he's the one saving the world.
1. Silver the Fox

Hellloooo! Thanks for giving this story a chance! :) I gotta say real quick that, uh, I'm still new to the whole Sonic world here. So if there are any mistakes regarding the info, sorry! Just correct me & I'll fix them (except for the ages 'cause I know Tails is technically eight (right?) buuuuuttttt I would feel super bad if I made an eight year old go through this story so ha um...)

Anyways! I just hate that Tails is always the one who trails Sonic like a lost puppy. And I love mythical creatures, so here's this, a book about Tails reaching his true potential & figuring out who he wants to be. Hope you enjoy :D

* * *

Tails eyed the cake wearily.

It was the last piece of a triple decker red velvet made specially by Amy. It was iced in a layer of chocolate and lined with strawberries across the top and bottom. Undoubtedly, it was the best thing Tails had ever eaten in his life.

His stomach growled, but he wasn't sure if it was a good or bad sign. He, Sonic, and Knuckles devoured most of the cake the night before. Tails's stomach still churned painfully. However, he was hungry, and that was the only food in the house. Hesitantly, he grabbed the plate and sat it on his counter.

"Morning," Sonic greeted, strolling into the hut. Amy and Knuckles trailed right behind him.

"Morning," Tails replied, sighing as he looked over the cake. While Amy and Knuckles headed for the couch, Sonic joined the fox in the kitchen.

"What's wrong, bud?"

"I'm hungry, but I'm sick of cake."

"I hear that," Sonic laughed. He leaned on the counter and looked at his friends on the couch. "I was in a major food coma last night."

"That's probably because you ate the biggest layer!" Amy cried.

"It was _so_ good, though," he moaned. Amy shook her head, smiling.

"You want this?" Tails offered, sliding the plate to him. Sonic glanced at it, considering.

"I can't take the last piece of your birthday cake." Although, his eager face said otherwise.

Tails waved his hand dismissively. "Take it. Happy early birthday." Sonic chuckled, dragging the cake toward him as he rummaged through a drawer for a fork. Tails walked into the living room and sat on the end of the couch.

"How's it feel being twelve?" Knuckles asked the fox.

Tails put a hand to his stomach. "A little sickening, if I'm being honest."

"That settles it," Amy declared, "I'm making something disgusting for the next birthday."

"No!" Tails and Knuckles cried. At the same time, Sonic mumbled, "I don't think that's possible."

Amy grinned at him. "You don't think I can make something bad?"

Knuckles and Tails looked over, smirking at their friend. Sonic paused, fork halfway to his mouth when he realized what he said.

"I just mean that you're kinda a good cook," he explained quickly, cheeks burning.

Tails and Knuckles snickered. Sonic rolled his eyes. "Okay, whatever. Now would be a good time for a subject change!"

There was a knock at the door. Tails jumped to his feet and went to answer as Sonic smirked, satisfied with his timing.

A human stood on the doorstep. She was tall and lean with a narrow face and glowing amber eyes. She wore a long red dress that fell to her ankles and puffy sleeves that covered her hands. She looked over the boy slowly, eyes widening just the slightest when she spotted his tails.

"Hello!" Tails greeted with a smile, squinting uncertainly. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Miles Prower," she said in a soft voice. Tails's mouth fell open. Knuckles and Amy frowned, glancing at each other in confusion. Sonic snapped his head to the door, eyes narrowing. He dropped the fork to the counter and raced over, leaning against the doorframe as he looked the woman over.

"Who're you?" the hedgehog demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who's Miles Prower?" Knuckles whispered to Amy.

"I am Lorelei," the woman answered, smiling warmly at the boys, "and you must be Sonic the Hedgehog."

Sonic and Tails glanced at each other. Tails was confused, tilting his head to the side as his curiosity grew. However, Sonic was suspicious. His shoulders were tense and his jaw clenched as he glared at this stranger. Neither were surprised she knew of Sonic—half of the world did, too—but she shouldn't know Tails's real name.

"I am only here to talk, that's all," she reassured. "May I come in?"

At the same time Tails accepted, Sonic denied. The boys looked at each other. Tails gently shoved Sonic to the side and said, "Yes, you can come into _my_ house." He shot a pointed look at Sonic, who rolled his eyes and walked to the couch.

"Should we leave?" Amy whispered. Sonic crossed his arms over his chest and watched the woman.

"Yeah," he answered. Amy nodded and jumped to her feet.

"C'mon Knuckles, we have to go help Sticks with something," she said, nudging him with her foot.

"But… But we don't know who Miles Prower is!" he cried. Amy rolled her eyes, grabbing his wrist, and dragged him out of the hut.

Lorelei took Amy's seat, smoothing her dress as she gazed around the home. "Oh, happy belated birthday," she said, smiling at the fox.

Tails beamed. "Thanks."

"How do you know so much about him?" Sonic growled. "Who are you?"

Lorelei smiled almost patronizingly. Sonic's scowl deepened. "Let me start from the beginning," she said. "I am Lorelei, headmistress at the White Valley School for Kits."

"Sounds like a preschool," Sonic scoffed.

"It is a boarding school for young foxes, yes, but kit is actually short for _kitsune_."

Tails frowned. "Kitsune?"

"Yes, we are an elite species known for our power. When a kitsune turns twelve, their abilities begin to appear. That is when we recruit them to our school so they can learn to control their new powers."

"That sounds too much like a fairytale," Tails laughed. "Powers? Sounds a little crazy, don't you think?" Sonic sighed, relieved that his buddy was just as skeptical of the woman.

Lorelei shrugged. "About as crazy as a hedgehog that runs faster than the speed of sound, I suppose."

Sonic rolled his eyes. Tail's mouth fell open at a loss for words. She had a point, he had to admit. Sonic's speed was still a mystery to Tails and the fox had given up trying to understand the ability long ago.

Lorelei smiled. "I want you to come join us, Miles."

"Tails," Tails corrected. "I don't like that name."

"Tails," she repeated, unsure. Sonic narrowed his eyes; her tone sounded too judging for his taste. Lorelei continued, "Very well. I want you to join us, _Tails_."

"Well that stinks 'cause he's not going anywhere," Sonic said with a shrug.

"Sonic," Tails sighed, glaring at his brother.

"What? This lady's crazy!" Sonic cried. He stepped forward, glaring at the woman. "If you're a headmistress or whatever at a school for _foxes_ , why are you a _human_?"

Lorelei's smile never faltered and Sonic found himself despising it with every second. "This is not my natural form, hedgehog. Things are just easier this way. However if you'd like to see my true self, I'd be happy to show you."

Sonic waved his arms through the air, almost daring her to follow through. Lorelei rose from the couch and walked to the center of the room.

Sonic crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Tails. His instincts warned him to race in front of Tails, ready to protect him from whatever the woman may try, but he knew Tails hated that. So, Sonic rocked on the balls of his feet, anticipating.

Tails glanced at Sonic. He took a step away from the woman, making a big show with his hands. Sonic smirked, wondering where that attitude came from. That's when he remembered that he basically raised Tails.

There was a blinding light. The boys covered their eyes with their arms as Lorelei was engulfed in white. It disappeared as soon as it appeared. Lorelei the Human was gone and a gorgeous fox with shiny silver fur and three and a half tails stood in her place. The half tail was a nub that stopped a few inches short than the other three. Tails grimaced.

"Silver the Fox," Sonic mumbled, chuckling at his own joke.

Lorelei explained, "This is my natural form."

Sonic rubbed his forehead. "I need a nap."

"How are you able to do that?" Tails eyes. His eyes shone with curiosity and wonder. "It's incredible!"

"You can learn all about the transformation and more, if you so desire. I think you'd like it at my school."

Tails' curiosity had been piqued. He wanted to learn more about the species and about himself. He looked to his brother, a hint of a smile on his face. Sonic was seemingly unimpressed, arms crossed over his chest again as he found other things in the room to stare at. Tails turned to Lorelei.

"I need to think about this," he decided.

Lorelei nodded. "Of course. I'm leaving tomorrow morning, so you have until then to make up your mind. I hope you make the right choice and accompany me tomorrow."

In a bright flash, Lorelei transformed back into a human. She smiled warmly at the boys before exiting the hut. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the two in silence.

Sonic broke it, "Tell me you're not actually considering this."

Tails rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I, well… I mean, it _would_ be cool, wouldn't it? A whole school full of foxes like her! Sounds fascinating."

Sonic shook his head, making his way back to the kitchen. "I don't trust her, Tails. How'd she even find you? Or know who you are?" He grabbed his fork, suddenly remembering the cake he abandoned. "We're supposed to be the only one how know your real name."

Tails leaned against the counter. "I dunno. Maybe that's one of her powers!"

"Or maybe she's been watching us and this is a trap." Sonic shoved a forkful of cake in his mouth. "Bet Eggman's behind this."

"Not everything is Eggman related." Sonic grunted and rolled his eyes. "Besides, don't you think I can handle myself if things go south?"

Sonic didn't look at him. He poked at the cake mumbling, "Yeah, of course I do…"

Tails cried, "You don't think I can take care of myself!"

"Well," Sonic sighed, "I don't have much proof to believe otherwise. I've been watching out for you since you were little, Tails. Little-er, anyways."

"I was on my own for a year before I met you."

Sonic nodded. "Yep, and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have lasted much longer."

"I would too!" Tails cried. Although, he knew that wasn't true. He was a baby living on the streets then. Another month or two and he'd be a goner. He knew and Sonic knew. Still, Tails wasn't just going to _admit_ it.

"Besides, it's not like I'll be on the streets. It's a boarding school."

"Yeah." Sonic frowned. "I've never heard of White Valley, have you?"

Tails shrugged. "Once or twice, but I've never been. It's not far from Cocoa Island."

Sonic sighed. He shook his head, green eyes trained on what's left of his cake. "I dunno about this, Tails. We just met her and now you wanna go somewhere neither of us have ever been? Don't you think this sounds weird?"

Tails crossed his arms. "You used to go places you've never been just 'cause you were asked."  
Sonic rubbed his face; he knew running off irresponsibly would get him into trouble one day.

"Yeah, well, I'm older. I can do what I want."

He didn't have to look to know Tails was getting annoyed. Quietly, sternly, he added, "I just don't think you're ready, Tails."

The young fox huffed. "I think I am. So, I'm going whether you like it or not."

Sonic watched the kid storm off. He wished he could be angry at Tails' attitude because at least it'd be easier to keep up his side of the argument. Unfortunately, he found himself relating way too much to his little bro.

If someone ever tried to stop Sonic from doing something because he wasn't 'ready,' he'd be on a _mission_ to prove them wrong. He knew this was the same for Tails, and how could Sonic really be mad at the kid for wanting to prove himself?

"Tails," Sonic said, walking around the counter.

"You're not gonna stop me," Tails declared. He was in the middle of packing a bag. There wasn't much for him to take, only a tool box and a few bathroom items.

Sonic shrugged. "Wasn't planning to." He walked to Tails' bed, crossing his arms as he watched his little bro pack. "Tails," he repeated, drawing the fox's reluctant gaze, "it's okay with me if you go."

Tails' eyes widened. He looked away as the corners of his mouth twitched. He mumbled, "That's the fastest I've seen you change your mind."

Sonic snickered. "Yeah," he agreed. "I knew there'd come a time when you stopped listening to me, though. I guess that time is now."

Tails paused, fingers curling around the bag's zipper. "This is the closest I've ever been to figuring out who I am. If this lady and this school can help me out…"

"I get it, bro." Sonic squeezed Tails' shoulder. "Go for it."

Tails turned, wrapping his arms around Sonic. The hedgehog returned the hug, clutching the fox tightly as he tried to push his fears aside.

He couldn't, though. He couldn't push away the nagging feeling that he was making a mistake, letting Tails go like this. Actually, it was more than a nagging feeling. Everything about it felt like a bad idea.

However, this was what Tails wanted, what he needed.

And Sonic's always had a problem saying no when it involved Tails.


	2. First Step Into a New World

There was a plane residing on the beach when Tails woke the next morning. It wasn't the biggest he'd ever seen, but it dominated the Tornado. The plane was a sleek black with an enclosed body large enough for at least five animals excluding the pilot.

Lorelei was walking toward the village from the plane when Tails stepped outside. Sonic followed a few seconds behind, yawning. Amy, Knuckles, and Sticks waited near Tails' hut joining the curious bystanders as they gazed at the giant plane.

"Was that there yesterday?" Amy asked, turning to her friends.

"I saw it," Sticks answered, shrugging. "I told you the government would find us eventually!"

"It's not the government," Tails reassured.

"That we know of," Sonic added, earning an eye roll from the fox.

Amy frowned as she watched the exchange.

"No, not the government," Lorelei confirmed, nearing the group. She stopped a few feet away, thin lips pulled into a smile as she tired taming her wind blown hair. "We're just good at keeping secrets, I suppose."

"Coincidence?" Sonic mumbled, glancing at his little bro. If anyone heard, they chose not to respond.

"So Tails," she paused, smile faltering for just a moment before it returned, "are you ready to go?"

Something about the pause struck Amy as weird. Maybe it was the way she spoke his name like the word disgusted her, but she tried being polite about it. Amy looked at Sonic to see if he noticed. He didn't; Sonic was too focused on that airplane. Amy shrugged off the feeling, deciding it was nothing.

"Almost," Tails said. He spun around and faced his friends. They smiled back, if not a bit uneasy.

Knuckles gave him a fist bump. Sticks grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Don't die," she said, face lacking any sort of emotion. Tails interpreted this as both advice and Stick's way of showing she cares. He nodded, appearing as though her tip was as important to him as she made it out to be.

Amy trapped him in a bone crushing hug that left him gasping for air. She released after a moment, giggling and mumbling apologies.

Sonic had never been one for touchy interactions, but he made an exception for Tails. The hedgehog pulled Tails into a tight hug, much to the surprise of the rest of the team.

"You be careful," Sonic ordered just soft enough for only them to hear. It was one of those rare moments where the humor was gone from Sonic's voice and he was dead serious.

Tails pulled away, nodding at his brother. "Yeah, promise. And hey," he pointed to his communicator, "don't forget these work long distance."

That info noticeably put Sonic at ease, even if just a bit.

"Good," Sonic laughed, reverting back to himself, "'cause I'll be checking up on ya! Don't do anything too stupid."

Tails laughed and any tension between them evaporated.

"Promise," Tails said. He grabbed his bag and turned to Lorelei.

"Okay, I think I'm ready."

Lorelei smiled. "Splendid! Let's get to it then, shall we?"

Tails took a deep breath. With one last look over his shoulder, Tails began to follow the woman across the beach.

The team watched their youngest member climb aboard the plane. Sonic rocked on his heels, fighting the urge to race after them. Amy crossed her arms over her chest as she and Knuckles observed him.

" _What_?" he snapped, green eyes tearing into them like daggers.

"I'm kinda waiting for you to run after them," Knuckles admitted with a shrug.

"Yeah," Amy agreed. "You're acting really mature about this, which is completely not like you."

Sonic huffed. He forced himself to look away, the sight giving him anxiety.

"He's twelve; he can handle himself. I, for one, am excited about this." He smiled to sell his lie and absolutely nobody believed him. Still, he continued, "Yeah, this is the first time I haven't had a kid following me since I was ten."

"Aw," Knuckles cooed, "you're almost been together for ten years!"

"Goals," Sticks teased.

Sonic scrunched his snout. "Gross, now I feel old. Let's go to Meh Burger; I'm starving."

"Okay!" his friends agreed. They turned and walked off, the subject of Tails already behind them (pun intended).

Sonic lingered, glancing over his shoulder once more. The plane was beginning to take off, its engines gently rattling the ground.

 _Just turn around and walk away_ , he ordered himself. _Or run away_. Turn and run. That was his fix for everything and it seemed to work so far.

So, he whispered, "Bye, little buddy." Then, he turned.

And he ran.

•••••

Tails wasn't sure how long he stared out his window. The second he climbed aboard, he sat next to a small square window so he could watch his friends and village as long as possible. Even after Sonic and the others had disappeared from sight and nothing but a bright blue ocean surrounded them, Tails stilled peered through the glass.

"We'll be in the air for a few hours," Lorelei said, startling the boy from his thoughts. "So, now's the time to ask questions."

Tails nodded, pulling away from the window. "Yeah, um, okay." He turned to her, careful not to scuff up the clean white chair with his shoes. The interior design of the plane was neat and bright with white seating and floors.

"You said kitsune have powers, right?" he said. "What kinda powers are we talking here?"

Lorelei answered, "That will depend on the type you are."

"Type?"

"Yes. We are divided into thirteen different types: Wind, Fire, Earth, Ocean, River, Time, Void, Spirit, Heaven, Sound, Forest, Thunder, and Mountain."

Tails frowned. "Don't you think it'd be easier to combine a couple of those? At least two of those could fall under Water."

"Perhaps, but this is how our ancestors segregated our kind, so therefore we must continue their traditions."

"O-O-Okay… How do I know what type I am?"

"You will complete a test sometime in the next few days to determine your type."

Tails hummed. He was fairly certain he was a wind type already. Maybe he could skip the test if he showed the instructors that he can fly.

"Anymore questions you have about our kind can be answered in your classes. Speaking of, classes begin at nine AM and last until four PM. You will have three hours of core studies and four hours of type studies."

Tails found it a bit funny that there was more time spent on powers than actual knowledge, but he kept it to himself.

"This is a lot to take in. Can I have a pamphlet or something?" Tails joked.

Lorelei smiled. "It's a bit overwhelming at first, but you'll learn. I'm sure your roommate will be happy to help as well."

"Roommate," Tails repeated quietly, mostly to himself. A small bit of fear sparked inside him. Meeting new people had become less of a challenge over the years since Tails met Sonic. Now instead of being afraid, he greeted people with warm grins as if it were never a problem.

However, living with someone new was a _big_ difference. Tails had only lived with one person his whole life, and he was alone before that. Sonic was naturally a good guy, so he accepted the little quirks and traits that Tails had kept to himself. It was only within the recent months did Tails feel comfortable enough to admit he's afraid of lightning to the rest of his friends.

Now, Tails would have to face living with a complete stranger. He may have hidden his panic well, but he was freaking a bit out on the inside.

Lorelei moved to a seat a few rows ahead; she was getting a phone call. Quietly, she answered, "This is Lorelei."

A deep voice spoke on the other end, asking quick questions as his patience was already wearing thin. Lorelei nodded, confirming, "Yes, we're on our way. Yes, two tails, just like you saw. He's only twelve—I can hardly believe it."

Tails rested his forehead against the glass, watching the glittering ocean below. He closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep, hoping to pass some time.

•••••

When he awoke, Tails could feel the plane beginning its descent. A soft voice came through the speaker instructing the passengers to buckle their seat belts.

Tails peered out the window, eager to spot the island.

A dense facade circled the island like a fierce storm. The lower half of the island was almost invisible through the dark clouds. A white mountain peak stood tall in the center, looming over the darkness mockingly. The sight reminded Tails of something out of a nightmare, dark and mysterious.

In that sense, it also kinda reminded him of Shadow.

Tails leaned into the seat, suddenly nervous. What if Sonic was right and this was a trap? For the obvious reasons, he hoped not. Also, he he hated admitting he was wrong.

"Hey, um," Tails began, climbing to his feet, "Lorelei?"

The woman twisted in her chair and smiled at him. "Yes?" she asked.

"Why's the island look like, um…" He didn't want to be rude and say it looked unsettling or anything, but he was having trouble.

"You mean the storm, correct? It's a winter blizzard created by the island's guardians, a team of kitsune who have protected our home for our a thousand years."

"Oh." Tails sat in the seat across from her. "Cool. Will it interfere with us landing, though?"

"No," she answered. "When we near, the guardians will lift the storm just long enough for us to pass through." She peeked out the window. "If you'd like to watch, I'd find a seat. We're a few seconds out."

Tails calmly walked back to his seat, barely able to suppress his excitement. Just as he sat down, the airplane broke through the storm. Tails pressed his face to the window, eyes wide.

The plane rattled as it hit the cloud barrier. Wind raged past the windows, beating angrily against the metal and howling through the sky. The glistening blue ocean was swallowed up and a dark fog took its place.

Tails stumbled away from the window as the plane jolted to the right. His breath caught in his throat while his fingers curled around the heads of the seats. _We're going to crash!_ He thought frantically.

Then, everything stopped.

The wing tilted and evened with the rest of the plane. Screaming strikes of wind disappeared and a gentle hum from the engine's took its place. A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, tiny at first but growing with each second. Tails squinted, a hazy figure in the distance catching his eye.

It was a watch tower, he thought. A tall, dark structure on the horizon. As the storm dispersed, it became more clearer. The tower appeared to be floating in the sky, the bottom half disappearing into the clouds. There was a window on the tower, but Tails couldn't see anything past.

The outside world seemed to freeze in time. Snowflakes dotted the dark sky like flour, held stationary by an unseen force.

"Whoa!" Tails gasped.

A few seats ahead, Lorelei smirked; she loved hearing that reaction.

As they emerged from the storm, Tails felt the nose of the plane lower. He buckled his seat belt and took a deep breath.

Now that he could determine the island wasn't a trap, Tails was excited. He was eager to hop off the plane and explore the new land, despite the roommate situation.

When the plane landed, he was restless. Tails was already on his feet with his bag slung over his shoulder when Lorelei turned to retrieve him. For a moment, she was surprised. Then, she smiled.

"You're an eager beaver! Or, uh, there's nothing that rhymes with fox. Let's go!"

•••••

There was a large bunker on the outskirts of the school. It housed two other planes the size of the one Tails arrived in. Two layers of catwalks criss crossed over the aircrafts, spotted with foxes. They were all snow white or shimmering silver, and none had only one tail. The most he counted was nine! Tails could hardly believe it.

One of the snow white foxes with four tails greeted Lorelei and Tails as they stepped off the aircraft. The hair on his head was neatly gelled and combed to one side, and his bright blue eyes radiated with… _Something_.

"Just in time," he said, glancing at a pocket watch as he fell in step with them. A grin slipped across his face. _Satisfaction_ , Tails realized.

"Tails, this is Dr. Demetrius. Everybody calls him Dr. D, though. He is a Time type and a professor here at the school," Lorelei introduced.

"What does a Time type do?" Tails asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"I can manipulate time for as long as I like," Dr. D bragged, smirking.

"He is also very stingy about being on time," Lorelei added. "So if you have him in class, don't be late!"

Tails nodded. "Got it!"

"Now, I have some matters to deal with. Demetrius will show you your dorm and you can meet your roommate." Lorelei smiled at the young fox. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask. My door is always open." With a warm pat on Dr. D's shoulder, Lorelei strolled off.

Dr. D ushered Tails in the other direction, eager to deliver the boy to his dorm so Dr. D could return to his paperwork.

"So, are we the only ones on this island?" Tails asked. He stumbled over his feet as Dr. D's speed walking caught him off guard.

"Of course not! There's a town down the street. You're welcome to visit, but curfew is ten o'clock. If caught outside your dorm past ten, you will be punished," Dr. D warned.

"Got it," Tails confirmed.

The bunker sat in an open field behind a large pyramid like building. The building towered over them, casting a cold shadow on the already chilly land.

"Why'd they pick such a cold island to settle?" Tails asked, shuddering.

Dr. D didn't look at him. "I'm not sure."

Tails frowned and decided to drop the subject.

A gray fox with dark gray stripes across the tail stood at the top of a concrete staircase leading into a courtyard in front of the pyramid. There was a brown messenger bag slung over his shoulder and a pair of white framed glasses rested on his face. Tails noticed this fox only had one tail.

"Landon! Right on time… _For once_ ," Dr. D greeted, throwing a pointed look.

"What're you talking about? I've only been late to class twice!" Landon argued.

"Yes, this _week_." Dr. D tried biting back a smile and failed as he turned to Tails. "Tails, this is Landon. He's going to be your new roommate!"

Tails tugged on his bag strap digging into his shoulder and offered Landon a smile. "Hi."

"Hey," Landon responded. "Your name's Tails? That's a weird name."

Tails shrugged, trying to push away the bit of hurt that pinched his heart. "My friends call me Tails."

"What's your real name?"

"That… Can't say."

"Oh, c'mon," Landon whined.

Dr. D smiled. "I can tell you two will be the best of friends! Landon will continue from here, I have a date with a pile of research papers!" He beamed, spreading his arms out wide and turning to the new comer.

"Welcome to White Valley!" he exclaimed.

With that, Dr. D walked off, a bit of a bounce in his step.

Tails watched him leave. He turned to Landon and joked, "He really likes new kids, huh?"

Landon shrugged. "Don't take it personal, he'd rather spend all his time in his office than socializing. He's a bit of a freak."

Landon didn't miss the way Tails sort of flinched at the last word, but he didn't care enough to bring it up.

"So, ah, I guess we should get going. Have any questions yet?" Landon waved his hand and the pair began walking down the sidewalk in front of the school.

"Uh, yes." Tails tilted his chin back and gazed at the towering pyramid. "Why's there a pyramid here? Was this once an ancient civilization?"

Landon nodded. "Yeah, maybe. It's the school building now, but apparently it was the temple of Inari."

"Inari?"

"Uh-huh. It's a spirit once worshipped by our kind but now a figment of the elders' memories."

"So… How's the temple work as a school? Seemed a little cramped, doesn't it?"

"Maybe, but not really. First and second floors are for general studies; the middle school is the first floor and the high school is the second. Third floor is Earth, Spirit, Forest, and Fire types."

Tails snickered. "Fire doesn't sound like it fits in that category."

Landon nodded then shrugged. "It has something to do with fire being full of life or something. Anyways, the fourth floor is for Mountain, Ocean, and River types. I think they're supposed to be the nicest people in the school."

"What about the first group?"

Landon rubbed his nose. "They're supposed to be the heart of the school, I guess. Passionate, you know? I don't get it though because I'm a Spirit type and I'm not very passionate about anything."

Tails raised an eye ridge. "How do you know you're a Spirit type?"

"All newbies take a test to determine your type. You'll take yours tomorrow, I'm guessing."

"Oh."

He and Landon took a turn in front of the school, heading for two identical four story buildings facing each other. They weren't pyramids like Tails had been expecting. Instead, they were rectangular buildings with dark brick and black roofs. As the two neared, Tails spotted an additional two diagonal to the originals.

"Boys' dorm," Landon explained, waving to the buildings they were heading towards. He pointed behind him, "Girls' dorm. _Don't_ get caught in there."

Although Tails wasn't planning to sneak in and could probably figure out the punishment on his own, he was curious, "Why?"

"Just— _don't_."

That sounded like a story for later, Tails decided.

"So, hey, how old are you?" Landon asked. He pulled the door of the main building open and Tails walked inside.

"Just turned twelve!"

"Huh." The door slammed shut behind Landon and he glanced at his roommate's twin tails before taking the lead again. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks!" Tails smiled. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen. We'll have some classes together." Landon led past a desk with a half asleep human man slouched over the counter and down a hall spotted with doors.

"Good," Tails breathed, relieved.

Landon stopped in front of a door, 106. He fished a card out of his messenger bag and swiped it across the handle. A small red light above the handle beeped to green and a lock clicked inside. Landon pushed the door open and slung his bag onto a red covered bed against the left wall.

His side of the room was almost as clean as the other. The bed was made, the small desk between the beds was empty save for a white lamp and a laptop. Over his bed, posters and maps from all over the world spotted the wall.

"You travel?" Tails asked, walking to the other bed. Landon sat on his own and glanced up at his wall.

"I would _like_ to, yeah. I'm from the island, so I've never seen anything past that stupid storm barricade. I picked that stuff up from shops around town. When I graduate, I plan to take a trip around the world and visit all these places."

Tails smiled. "That sounds awesome."

Landon shrugged. "It's a dream, I guess. With the guardians though, dreams kind of seem unlikely here."  
Tails frowned. "What d'ya mean?"

The older shook his head slowly. "I don't know; it's just that I've only ever seen officials leave the island."

"That's… Weird."

"Yeah, well, they say it's to keep the students safe here at the school, but-" Landon paused, eyes widening as he remembered something. "Gah, I got distracted. Level four of the school is for Mountain, Ocean, and River types."  
Tails began unpacking his bag. "What are they like?"

"Level headed foxes, rarely get into fights. They're the voice of reason in an argument. Level five holds the Wind, Thunder, and Sound types. Those guys are usually pretty laid back, willing to 'go where the wind takes them.'"

"Ha," Tails snickered, throwing an amused look over his shoulder.

"The sixth level has the rest of the types: Time, Void, and Heaven. That group of foxes are pretty full of themselves, thinking they're the most powerful in the school. I'd advise steering clear of them. Oh, especially Blaine Indigo. He always goes after the new kids, so watch out."

Tails stashed his now empty bag under his bed along with his toolbox. He paused to take a deep breath, Landon's warning sinking in. Tails knew there was a chance for bullies to roam the school, but he had hoped that chance was slim.

"Thanks for the warning," Tails mumbled, climbing back on his bed. He prayed he never ran into that Blaine kid. Tails wasn't good at facing bullies. He could fight bad guys like Eggman or the Zetis all day, but he froze when the villain was focused on specifically Tails. For some reason, having somebody target him directly was something he still couldn't handle on his own.

To distract himself, Tails changed the subject. "Uh, what about the last two levels of the school?"

Landon had taken notice of Tails' sudden change. He wondered what was going through the kid's head when he blinked, remembering Tails had asked him a question. Landon shook his head, answering, "Uh, the last two levels are unknown."

Tails leaned forward, intrigued. "You don't know what's up there?"

"No one does. It's been off limits for centuries."

"Huh. _Interesting_."

Tails glanced at the communicator on his wrist. He wanted to talk to Sonic. How long had it been since he left home? It felt like days already.

Landon jumped to his feet. "Are you hungry?"

Tails shrugged. "I could eat, yeah."

"C'mon, I think the cafeteria's serving pizza today." Landon grabbed his room key and headed for the door. As Tails began to follow, Landon paused and added over his shoulder, "And we need to stop by the front office. You're gonna need a room key."

Tails trailed Landon, thoughts of his friends and his home dissolving into those of fresh pizza.


	3. Oddity

I feel like this book is just going to be filled with dumb puns & references & junk and I'm not even sorry xD Also, all of the characters have been introduced (pretty sure) so we can get the ball rolling now! I'm pumped! :D

* * *

The placement test took place on the first floor in the pyramid's center. Thirty students sat in six rows while a professor, a short fox with white fur and three tails, walked down the isles. Instead of walls, large windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Anyone passing through the first floor could peek in and watch.

Landon leaned against a column at the back corner of the testing room. He stood with two friends, his neighbors.

"The one with two tails… He's your roommate?!" a Spirit type named Brody exclaimed.

"Uh-huh," Landon answered. He scanned the room, smirking at the newbies. Most were nervous. Landon always found it amusing watching them get adjusted. It was like watching sheep get acquainted with a new dog.

"How _old_ is he?" Brody's roommate, Fire type, asked.

Landon looked at him. " _Twelve_."

The boys' jaws fell slack. Landon had to laugh. A bell rang overhead and the trio started down the hall.

"That's impossible, though," Mason declared. "Isn't it?"

"I think Tails is living proof that it is possible," Landon argued.

Brody frowned. "Tails? 'Cause of… Oh, _oh_. Ha. I get it." He grinned.

Landon sighed. Sometimes, he wondered why he hung around him.

Mason broke away as they neared the stairs claiming he left something in his locker. After promising to catch up later, he disappeared in the sea of middle schoolers.

"So, what do you think he's gonna be?" Brody asked as they began climbing the stairs.

"I don't know."

"Not a clue?"

"I just met him yesterday!"

"Yeah, but you're great at reading people! You've got to have at least some idea."

Landon shrugged. "He mentioned he likes flying."

Brody scratched his chin. "A Wind type, perhaps? Gah, I hope not. That group's full of airheads."

Landon snickered. He and Brody fell into laughter that echoed down the hall. However, it was short lived as they reached the third floor.

A girl collided with Landon, knocking her to the ground. Her bag slid across the floor and teetered dangerously over the edge of the stairs.

Landon sneered, "Watch where you're going!"

"Me? It was your fault! The least you could do is pick my stuff up," she snapped.

"Oh, this stuff?" Brody pointed at the bag with the toe of his shoe. "Whoops." He shoved it, snickering as the bag tumbled down the stairs, its contents spilling out with every step.

The girl growled. She clawed at the floor, daggers of earth breaking through the tile and rising between the spaces of her paws.

"Let's get out of her before she attacks us with dirt," Brody mocked, tugging on Landon's arm. They continued down the hall, laughter drowning out the girl's irritated snarls.

•••••

"Sitting on my desk are thirteen elemental crystals. I will call you up one by one and you will hold each crystal in your hand. We will know your type by how the crystals react. Everybody ready?"

Tails sat at the edge of his chair, curling his fingers into fists to try and stop the trembling. He was anxious, a part of him never wanting to leave his chair and another part of him ready to get out of there and start class already.

He was suspicious, though. Every ounce of his logical brain told him that none of this was possible. Touching a crystal to determine what kind of super power you have didn't sound the least bit believable.

The first name was called, "Sonia Acorness." A small strawberry red fox slid out of the seat next to Tails and walked to the desk. The rest of the class leaned forward, held their breaths, waited with anticipation.

Sonia picked up the first stone, a dark green sphere. Earth, Tails guessed. A moment passed, the whole class holding their breaths. Then, nothing. Sonia placed the sphere down and grabbed the next crystal, an orange oval. Again, nothing.

This process continued for a few crystals until she picked up a clear crystal in an odd shape. The second her fingers brushed the mineral, a piercing sound screeched through the classroom. Tails and a few others pressed their hands to their ears. Others gasped and cried out in surprise.

Sonia dropped the crystal and the sound disappeared. The instructor smiled and said, "Congratulations, Sound type."

And then, the class erupted in cheers. There were whoops and whistles and a whole lot of clapping. Tails looked around in surprise, wondering why everyone was so happy. Was this a normal thing? What is this school?

"Next up, Rosalinda Amelia."

Tails was among the last few to go. With every new type discovered, Tails found himself more at all. The Fire crystal ignited a bold flame that burned Tails' cheeks from a few feet away, yet its holder remained unharmed. The Thunder crystal was accompanied by a low roar that rumbled the chairs. The Spirit crystal lit up like the sun, its luminous light shining unbearable for the onlookers.

"Tails Prower."

The classroom was bubbly, everybody gushing about their new types. By that point, each type had been chosen at least once. The curiosity was gone for the most part. Tails felt a bit relieved because that meant there were a lot less eyes on him.

"What do you hope to get?" the instructor asked as Tails stepped up to the desk.

"I don't know," Tails answered, and he wasn't sure if it was a lie. Being a Wind type would make him feel the most comfortable, but there was a part of him that wanted to try something new.

It was because of that part that Tails didn't pick up the Wind crystal straight away. He went through each one, hope falling a little bit each time. The instructor watched with so much interest that Tails wondered if it was just an act. Surely nobody cares that much about what type every single kid is?

Tails' hand hovered over the Wind crystal. It was a circular stone with a pale yellow pigment and a white spiral in the middle. He took a deep breath and scooped the crystal in his hand.

The last reaction the crystal had to a Wind type was a gently breeze that swept through the classroom. Just like the other crystals, its reaction was delayed by a second.

However, this reaction was immediate. The second Tails' fingers brushed over the circle, there was an explosion. A gust of wind so strong that it knocked students out of their chairs burst out of the stone in waves. Tails stumbled, grabbing onto the desk for support. There were cries of panic. Desks toppled over each other. Sounds of glass cracking were swept away by the strength of the wind.

The crystal slipped from Tails' staggering grip. The moment it left the fox's grasp, everything stopped. There was silence. Nobody moved, nobody breathed. They just stared. Even the bystanders who happened to be passing by stopped in their tracks and peered through the glass to see what happened.

Tails gasped, hand flying over his heart as he tried to catch his breath.

Despite whatever occurred, a kid in the back joked loudly, "Looks like he got the wind knocked out of 'im!" Then, the silence evaporated and an easy laughter took its place. Tails found himself smiling halfheartedly, still trying to wrap his head around what just happened.

"Um," Tails said, looking at the instructor, "that was normal, right?"

She smiled. "Certainly not! That was the strongest reaction I've ever seen in all my centuries of teaching here."

"Great," Tails sighed. He had to admit, he was kind of proud for having such a response. However, the fear of being talked about and teased overpowered the feeling of pride he had for himself. Tails could only imagine the looks he would get when he stepped into the hallway again.

"Well obviously, congratulations Wind type!"

Tails returned to his seat, head down and cheeks burning. It was just his luck that he would do something so outrageous and draw so much attention to himself.

A round of applause stopped him in his tracks. At first, it was just one or two kids from the back. Then, it grew louder and louder until the whole class was cheering. His classmates grinned at him, hollering and whooping with encouragement.

"That was _so_ cool!"  
"I've never seen anything like it!"

"That guy's _awesome_."

Tails lifted his head. He found himself smiling so wide his cheeks hurt. Tails took a deep breath, chest light again. He didn't feel like a freak, not in that moment. The feeling kind of reminded him of the first time he showed Sonic that he could fly.

 _"Whoa! That's wicked cool, little buddy!"_

Pride. Tails couldn't remember the last time he'd felt it on his own. It was usually a feeling accompanied by beating Eggman and saving the world again. It was also a feeling shared with Sonic. Tails would disarm or rewire a deadly machine and Sonic would defeat the bad guy.

Had he ever felt proud of himself on his own? Tails couldn't remember. He must have not, because this was a feeling he didn't believe he could forget.

Tails slid back into his seat, still grinning. He couldn't stop even if he wanted to.

•••••

One of the windows were cracked.

Landon stopped short in the middle of the hallway, the sight taking him by surprise. A few other students had crowded around the testing room, searching for any more fractures. Landon pushed his way to the front of the crowd and his jaw dropped.

It was the first window next to the classroom door. Fissures stretched across the glass like a spiderweb. The ends of the cracks extended to the floor and the ceiling. One touch, it seemed, and the entire layer would collapse.

The students inside were dismissed. The crowd split, everyone stumbling to get out of the way when the door was thrown open. As the newbies filed out, the whispers started. Nobody had to guess; they knew the two-tailed fox was to blame.

Landon watched Tails exit. He was bubbly, a bounce in his step as he walked and a smile on his face. The whispers were loud, like insects in a forest. It didn't take long for Tails to catch wind of them.

"Who does he think he is?"

"What a showoff."

"OMG! Look, he has two tails!"

"No way he's a newbie."

"He's a weirdo."

Landon squinted, zeroing in on the younger fox's heartbeat. It quickened as his face fell. Every second it grew faster and faster until Landon worried he'd have a heart attack.

Tails turned and took off through the hall, shoving past people as he made a beeline for a backdoor. Landon pursed his lips, contemplating. He should probably follow, make sure the kid doesn't get lost or something.

The back door opened with a squeak. Landon shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself immediately. He looked around and spotted Tails sitting against the school a few feet down. Knees pulled to his chest, he appeared to be talking to himself.

As Landon neared, he overheard another voice that didn't belong to Tails.

"It's about time you called!" the voice exclaimed. "I thought you… Got dead or something."

Tails snorted. " _Got dead_?"

"Er, you know what I mean. How're things going? Ready to come home yet?"

Landon squinted, wondering where the voice was coming from. Was Tails wearing an earpiece? Was it something on his bag?  
Tails sighed. He thought his answer over, trying to decide what to say. His buddy asked, "Tails? You okay?"

"Yeah," Tails breathed, "it's just… Really cold here."

"Go inside then, dummy."

"Hehe, right."

Landon stepped forward and his feet crunched in the snow. Tails' eyes widened, startled.

"Uh, class is starting," he quickly lied, raising his wrist to his mouth. "I'll talk to you later."

"See ya," the voice sighed. Tails ended the call with the press of a button and gazed up at Landon.

Landon smirked. "You know, I bet it's a lot colder sitting on the snow."

"It is," Tails confirmed. He climbed to his feet, dusting himself off as he shuddered.

Landon asked, "What're you doing out here, anyways?"

Tails crossed his arms over his chest, avoiding the question with another, "Why do the faculty have more than one tail but the students don't? Everyone staring at me like I'm some kind of…" He trailed off, leaning against the wall.

"Freak?" Landon offered. Tails didn't answer, so Landon continued, "The attention bothers you? Man, I'd be savoring every second of that!"

"I'm not you," Tails answered sharply. "Just… Please, tell me what's going on."

Landon frowned. He took a step closer to tails and sighed, "Okay. When a kitsune reaches a new hundred in age, they grow a new tail. So according to every bit of information we know about our kind, you should be over 100 years old. Are you sure you're not 112?"

Tails nodded slowly. "Pretty sure. Although, my friends always say I act older than I really am. So, wait, are we immortal?"

"No," Landon shook his head. "Our lifespan is 1,000 years, which is why the rest of the world thinks we live forever." He looked over at Tails and offered a smile. "So, you're kind of a celebrity."

Tails stared at the sparkles in the snow. "I don't _feel_ like a celebrity."

Landon rolled his eyes. He'd love to be so popular around school. Why does the fame always go to those who don't care?

"Well, we should probably head back."

Tails looked at him. "How'd you know I ran out here?"

"I saw you leave." He and Tails began to walk back to the door. "By the way, do you usually talk to yourself? You're not gonna just start… Having conversations with yourself, are you?"

Tails snickered. "I was talking to my brother," he explained, waving his hand. "We have these communicators that work long distance." He held his wrist in front of Landon's face and pointed to the comm.

"Whoa," Landon admitted, "that's pretty cool."

"Thanks!"

"So, I hear you're a Wind type."

Tails groaned. "I didn't _mean_ to break the window."

Landon laughed. "Don't apologize! It looked awesome. Pretty sure you're a legend now."

Tails had to admit, that made him feel a teeny bit more confident.

Landon stopped, grabbing the door handle and turning to Tails. The younger stood a few feet away, rooted to his spot with wide eyes.

"I don't wanna go back in there."

The older frowned. _Tails' heart rate is picking up speed again_ , he observed. One of his powers was scanning pulses and auras, neither of which normal from what Landon could see.

"You have to go back eventually."

"I know."

Landon sighed. _Kids_. "Look dude, don't be so sensitive. No one's teasing you in there. They've just never seen a fox so young with multiple tails. You should enjoy it 'cause they'll get over it by next week."

Tails looked at him and almost smiled. "You're not great at comforting people."

"You're twelve, you should be old enough to deal with this stuff on your own."

"I…" Tails paused, gaze falling to the snow as he realized, "I've never had to handle it alone before."

It never occurred to Tails how often Sonic was with him. Ever since Sonic decided Tails was old enough to tag along on adventures, the two have been inseparable. Even before, they rarely spent time apart. Tails couldn't hardly remember a time before Sonic. He was just always there.

Landon sighed heavily. _Privileged_. "Look," he said, "I'll be right there. I gotta head that way to class anyways. Just focus on where you're heading, not at who's watching."

"Right." Tails nodded. "Okay."

Landon wondered if it was too late to change roommates as he pulled open the door. Few students still lingered in the halls as the rest had already gone to class. Whoever was left turned and stared.

As they walked, Landon glanced at Tails. The younger's heart beat pounded in Landon's ears, never slowing.

"Calm down," Landon ordered. He didn't want to have to drag the kid to the infirmary.

"I'm trying!" Tails whined. He took slow, deep breaths. He locked his gaze on a spiraling staircase at the end of the hall. He even tried distracting himself with a song to hum. Nothing worked because Tails could still feel the stares. They were heavy and burned his fur. Memories of his younger years flashed through his head. He almost expected the students to surge forward and attack.

They reached the safety of the stairs and Tails could breathe again. Landon eyed him skeptically.

"You sound like you're having a heart attack."

"I-Wait, I _sound_?" Tails gasped.

"Yeah. I can zero in on pulse and auras of others. It's one of my powers."

"That's so cool!" Tails cried, grinning.

"Kind of. It's pretty pointless, though."

Landon nodded toward an open archway. Over the arch was a sign that read EARTH, FIRE, FOREST, SPIRIT.

"Think you can make it the rest of the way?"

"Yeah, thanks." Tails suddenly felt stupid for overreacting. Landon was probably getting annoyed at him.

But, Landon smirked. "Try not to break anymore windows. I'll see you later."

Tails laughed uneasily. He turned away from Landon and continued up the stairs.

•••••

"There they are! C'mon, c'mon, we have a lot to do in too little time!" a white male fox called, waving the last minute stragglers into the classroom. He was unusually tall with long bangs that fell over his eyes. Tails and a few others shuffled in, mumbling apologies for their tardiness. A soft breeze swept through the room; it was warm, reminding Tails of the beach.

 _Why are all of the teachers white?_ Tails wondered as he found a seat. He sat in the front row, just beside the teacher's desk. The question had been bugging him all day; _why do all of the teachers have white fur, but then Lorelei had silver fur? Does fur lighten when you reach 100 years and continue until it's pure white? Maybe I can ask Landon later._

The teacher pulled the door shut as the last kid entered. He said, "Okay! Welcome, welcome, welcome! This is Wind Training 101. Here, you'll learn the basics of your powers. You will learn to control your abilities so that way we can avoid things such as the incident that happened earlier…"

Tails' cheeks burned and he slouched down. The teacher divided his bangs, revealing bright ember eyes beneath. With a grin, he offered his fist to the student. Tails returned the grin, pumping the fist with his own.

"Those windows needed changed anyways. I'm impressed, kiddo. Anyways!" He made a motion to clap but froze inches away from his palms colliding. "I forget, sorry, that clapping is not something for first level students. I have to warn you all that clapping is a bit dangerous on this floor. The Thunder and Sound types take it to a scary level; don't be in the room when either type decides to clap. _Scary_."

Tails scrunched his nose. _This guy's weird_.

"So, my name is Mr. Aires, and we're gonna get started. Any volunteers?"

A girl next to Tails leapt out of her chair. "I'll do it!" she cried.

Mr. Aires waved her to the front. Another breeze swept through the room. _Motion_ , Tails guessed, _was the key to creating wind_. "Eager, I like it! Step right up to this table of leaves! Now, I… Did not think this through. Hm. This won't be fun to clean. Okay, it's okay, let's just get going. I want you to move these leaves without touching them. Now, you may be asking yourself, 'Mr. Aires, I don't know how to do that!' Don't fret, children."

He stepped around the table so he faced the class. "The key to wind is movement." Tails smirked, mentally patting himself on the back. "You see, it doesn't take much to create a breeze." Mr. Aires waved his paw to the right. The pile of leaves trembled as a few fell away and landed in a line across the table. "The stronger the movement, the stronger the attack."

"Attack?" Tails repeated.

"Uh… I didn't mean to say that, but yeah, eventually you all with learn to attack and defend yourselves."

Tails was about to question further, but Mr. Aires cut him off.

"Okay! What's your name?"

"Wendy."

"Wendy! Let's see what you've got, girlfriend!"

Wendy nodded, determined. She raised her hand and with a deep breath, snapped her wrist to the side. A cluster of leaves shot off the top of the stack and hurled across the room.

"Nice job!" Mr. Aires praised. "Don't be so stiff, though. You could take someone's head off like that! Thanks Wendy, you can have a seat. Next!"

A montage of students stepped up to the desk. After a few tries, each other Tails' classmates were brushing leaves to the side with the point of their finger. Some had even started taking aim, turning the activity into a game. A few managed to hit the projector hanging form the ceiling, granting them twenty points.

Tails was the last to go. Mr. Aires leaned on the table next to him, mumbling about how messy the room had become.

"Before you do that," the teacher said quickly as Tails raised his hand, "d'ya wanna try something fun?"

"Sure!" Tails replied, excited.

"So clapping is a relatively risky move, as I have said. The Thunder types can turn it into a thunder strike so strong, it'll shake the entire school. The Sound types can turn a single clap into a sonic boom."

"Those are loud," Tails snickered.

"Yes, they are. Wind types are a bit like Thunder types in that sense. We can create forces strong enough to shake the school or take down trees. Now because of that and because of what you managed to achieve earlier with the windows, I want you to take a step back, and just clap. Don't make a big show about it, don't wave your hands around like a madman, just clap."

"O-O-Okay." Tails was skeptical as he took a step back. After everything he'd seen that day already, skeptical was the _last_ thing he should be. Still, he couldn't help it. How was clapping supposed to emit that much power? It couldn't. Not in the science world, anyways.

However, Tails was no longer in the safety of the science world. He was in a whole new world, one where super powers existed. Anything was possible anymore.

So, he clapped. It wasn't anything big, just a simple clap in front of him. He could feel the wind catch his hands as he performed the action. It was empowering, oddly enough. When his hands collided, there was a small explosion, not unlike what he experienced earlier with the crystal. Only, you know, smaller. A wave of air snowballed into the remaining pile of leaves, scattered them in every direction.

The class fell silent, staring at the fox in awe. That was the second time that day he had gathered such attention. There was something different about this time, though. Unlike the first time, Tails meant to do this. He felt in control of what he had just done. So, Tails felt a bit more pride at the fact that his classmates watched him with jaws dropped and eyes wide.

"Perfect!" Mr. Aires praised. "Take a seat Tails, thank you. That was beautiful. See, that is the type of fun we can get into during our course." He walked around and leaned against the desk, crossing his ankles. "Some of you may have heard that Wind types are airheads or jokes or whatever. We are overlooked and underestimated because we deal with forces others can't see. Don't let anyone tell you that your type isn't important, though. Every single fox at this school has a place in the world."

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Tails watched his classmates gather their things and file out the door, conversations already veering into other topics. He stood and grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. As he began to leave, he paused and glanced over his shoulder.

Mr. Aires had grabbed a broom and began sweeping up the leaves. Tails pulled his bag off his shoulder and dropped it next to the door.

"Need some help?" he offered, inching back into the room.

His teacher raised his head and smiled. "Sure, kiddo. There's a trash bag in the first drawer on the right side of my desk."

Tails nodded, rushing to the desk. He pulled out the bag and walked over to the window. Tails dropped to his knees and began sweeping the leaves up.

•••••

When Tails returned to his dorm, there was a TV on in the lobby. He glanced over as he passed, curious about who was in there. Of course, that was a bit pointless seeing as the only boy he knew was Landon. Still, he was curious.

There was a large, bulky fox with black fur walking to the couch. He had a bottled drink in his hand, half full. As he began to sit, he turned and caught Tails' gaze. The bigger fox's eyes were bright purple, almost glowing against his fur.

"What're you looking at?" he growled. Actually _growled_. Tails recoiled in shock, eyes wide.

"N-Nothing, sorry," he mumbled, scurrying down the hall.

106 was cracked open. Tails pushed through without even noticing, mind still reeling from that brute down the hall. Landon glanced up when Tails entered.

"It's a bout time! Classes ended an hour ago; I thought you got lost or something," Landon said. He sat on his bed, open laptop in front of him.

"Um, I think I just met Blaine," Tails said slowly, making sure the door shut before he continued.

"Ah, yeah. He was in the lobby, right? I saw him when I came in."

Tails nodded frantically. "He's terrifying!"

Landon pursed his lips. "Yeah, kinda. That's what I mean, stay away from him if you can. Oh, but don't worry about that now. Get ready!"

"Why?"

"Some friends of mine are going bowling and I figured you could tag along and meet some people. C'mon, it'll be fun."

"Bowling?" Tails thought back to that time he bowled with Sonic and the others. He wasn't _bad_ so to say, at least not by Sonic's standards. Then again, Sonic wouldn't just not let Tails play. So, Tails probably wasn't as good as Sonic would lead him to think.

Landon nodded. "Yeah! Even if you don't want to bowl, you can still come and hang out."

Tails chewed on his lip. What else would he be doing if not go? He could talk to Sonic, he guessed. But, this could be a chance to put himself out there more. He needed more friends at the school.

"Okay," Tails decided, smiling at his roommate. "Let's go bowl!"

•••••

Across campus, a sixth grader lingered in the office. The printer hummed as it spouted papers out the side. She shifted from one foot to another, eager to finally head back to her room and relax.

"Avaleigh," Lorelei called from her office down the hall. Avaleigh pressed a button, silencing the printer.

"Yes, Lorelei?" she replied.

"Come back here a moment, please. I have something I need you to do."

Avaleigh scooped the copies in her hands, straightened them out, and set them aside on a counter behind her. Then, she grabbed her bag and walked down the hall.

Lorelei smiled at her as the young fox passed. With the sixth grader already taking a seat in her room, Lorelei glanced around the office swiftly.

Her smile transformed into a sly smirk and she pulled the door shut.


	4. Every Fox for Himself

The bowling alley was a few blocks from the school. It was a long building with six lanes and a small cafe in the corner. The main lights were off and a set of strobes took their place, flashing frantically across the building. Neon beams lined the edges of the lanes, switching through the color grid with every second. A giant disco ball hung over the lanes, silver coating glistening under the colored lights.

Friday must be bowling night because every lane was filled with teams of at least eight. Landon and Tails were at lane number one, right next to the front door. Nine other foxes crowded the lane, all apparently Landon's best friends.

"You gonna play?" Landon asked Tails. He was in the middle of registering everyone.

"No," Tails decided, "I'm good."

Landon shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Tails sat at a rectangular table behind the lane. Brody and Mason, his dorm neighbors apparently, sat across from him. Tails didn't know what to think of them, but he knew Mason judged _everyone_ and Brody had been eating cotton candy for the past hour, growing louder with each bite.

"Oh!" Body yelled, nudging Mason's side. "Look what the cat dragged in!"

Mason choked on his cheery flavored pop as Brody elbowed his rib. He shot a quick glare at his friend before following Brody's gaze.

"Well, well, well," Mason teased. Tails leaned to the left, curious about who they were looking at. It was a brown furred fox with a dark green bow over her ear.

"Who is she?" Tails shouted over the music blaring off the walls.

Mason turned to him. "First year Earth type," he explained.

"Who're you talking about?" Landon asked. He sat next to Tails.

"Check out who's next door," Mason grinned.

While Landon searched for the one in question, Brody explained to Tails, "She ran into Landon earlier and didn't even apologize."

"She's a bitch," Mason added with a shrug.

Tails' eyes widened. He wasn't ignorant to swearing, but he was never around it much. Sometimes, Sonic and Knuckles would toss insults back and forth and a few curse words would "accidentally" slip in here and there. Once, Amy was so angry at the boys for breaking one of her windows that she used nearly every word in the book! Tails still had nightmares.

The point was, his group of friends never swore so casually. At least, not around _him_.

The girl in question in question grabbed a blue ball from the rack behind the lane. She took a running star, reeling the ball behind her hip and tossing it down the lane. It rocketed down the wood, veering dangerously to the right. Before it touched a pin, the ball dropped into the gutter and fell into the pit at the other end.

"She's shit at bowling, too," Brody yelled, laughing.

Tails didn't really like Brody all that much.

The girl shrugged and walked back to her seat. She made a joke and her team fell into laughter. She took a seat at the back of her table and cheered for the next bowler.

Mason glanced at the screen above their lane. He smacked Landon's shoulder and grinned. "Show them how it's done, buddy!"  
Landon smirked and nodded. He jumped to his feet and grabbed a ball.

A perfect strike. First try, he rolled a perfect strike. The rest of the team cheered. Tails snuck a peek at the girl. She had been watching Landon as well. With a scowl, she rolled her eyes and focused back on her game.

"You play, newbie?" Brody asked.

Tails shook his head. "No, I'm not very good."

"You can't be worse than earth nerd over there. C'mon, you can take my turn." Brody jumped to his feet and walked around the table.

"No really, I don't want to."

Despite this, Brody grabbed Tails' arm and jerked the boy to his feet. Tails was shoved into the approach area as Landon walked back to his seat.

"It's just one ball," Landon reasoned when he saw Tails' pleading face. "You know how to bowl, right?"

"Yeah, of course." He knew the basics just by watching Sonic. Could Tails attempt it without looking like an idiot? _Well…_

Brody shoved an eight pound ball into Tails' chest.

"Bowl," he ordered.

Swallowing his fear, Tails cradled the ball in his arms and took a step forward. His first instinct was to squat and pushed the ball between his legs. That was how he learned and what he'd been doing for years. He was pretty good at that technique, too.

However, this was a whole different ball game. Tails glanced over his shoulder. One wrong move and he'd be the laughing stalk of the whole group. He couldn't handle being a freak and a loser in one day.

 _Okay_. Tails took a deep breath. _It's simple. Swing the arm back, walk forward, let go. What could go wrong?_

 _A gutter ball_ , he couldn't help but point out. And that'd be the end of whatever he might've had with Landon and his friends.

"Any day now," Brody shouted.

A few rows over, the girl glanced back at the first lane. That fox was up next, the one with the two tails. She'd heard rumors of him around school. Apparently, he was supposed to be pretty powerful.

Landon's group of idiots burst into laughter as the fox's ball rolled straight to the gutter and out of sight. Said bowler's shoulders slumped, his head bowed.

"Thanks for messing up my game, newbie," Brody complained. "Hey, I get extra points for that!"

"No way!" Mason argued. "You're the one who let him go!"

The two tailed fox took off, breaking into a sprint up the stairs and out the door.

The girl watched him go. As one of her friends turned to announce her turn, the girl raced after him.

•••••

Tails' heart _raced_. He fell against a wall, chest constricting painfully as his breath came out in short clouds in front of his face. He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on breathing.

Someone approached from his left; he heard the snow crunch under their feet.

"Hey," they said, and it wasn't Landon like Tails had kind of been expecting.

He cracked an eye open. It was the girl from earlier, the earth nerd.

"Hey," he breathed.

"You gotta take deep breaths, I think you're having a panic attack." She stepped around so she stood in front of him.

"I think so, too." Sonic had them sometimes. Only Tails knew about them, though. He was a pro at calming Sonic down by now.

"That's it!" the girl praised. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he decided. "Thanks."

She hugged herself and toed a pile of snow. "Those guys are major jerks. Why do you hang out with them?"

"I don't, really," he admitted. "Landon's my roommate."

" _Oh_ ," she laughed awkwardly. "Sorry."

"He's not so bad. Brody and Mason aren't my favorite people, though."

"Well, _none_ of them are my favorite people. Like I said, they're jerks, all of them."

"They said something similar about _you_ in there. Mason said you ran into Landon and didn't apologize."

"That's not true! _He_ ran into _me_ and didn't apologize! Then, Brody kicked my bag down the stairs!" she cried, eyes narrowing. She took a deep breath, shaking her head. "You want a tip? Don't trust those guys. They only hang out with the best and they walk over everyone else. One wrong move and they'll end you."

Tails' eyes widened. "Sounds like this school is just full of foxes like that."

She pursed her lips. "There _are_ a lot, unfortunately. But lucky for you, there are also foxes like _me_. I'm Avaleigh, by the way. You can call me Ava."

He smiled. "I'm Tails."

"So Tails, I couldn't help but notice you're not that great at bowling. Don't worry," she added quickly as his face began to fall, "because so am I. How about a little challenge, huh? Winner buys the loser a chili dog."

"They have chili dogs here?" Tails asked, eyes alight with excitement.

"Of course! Do you accept my challenge?" Ava held her hand out.

Tails deflated, being painfully reminded, "But… But everyone will laugh at us."

Ava smiled. "The key is not caring. They can't do much damage if you don't care. Oh, and also cheating. Cheating is fun."

He scrunched his snout. "What do you mean?"

Ava took his hand. "C'mon, I'll show you."

•••••

A lane was open when the pair returned. It was lane 7, a few away from their friends. Ava typed in their names, snickering as she went.

"Hey, what rhymes with Tails?"

Tails frowned. "Uh," he said, caught off guard.

"Whales, perfect. Okay, let's play!"

Curious, Tails peered up at the screen. "Ava Banana doesn't rhyme." He chuckled.

"They both end in A!"

She grinned as he laughed. Ava grabbed a ball and walked past him.

"Ready?" she said, shooting him a look over her shoulder.

Tails sat at the table, anxiously glancing around. He worried the other players would laugh at them.

Ava hooked her fingers into the holes and clutched the ball to her chest. She spun twice and launched the ball. It soared a few feet in the air before landing with a sickening crack. Tails straightened, worried the ball split the wood. Ava waved her hand and the ball jolted forward, continuing down the lane. It knocked down three pins before it disappeared.

"How'd you make it go again?" Tails asked, intrigued.

"Wood is made from trees and trees are part of the earth." She shrugged. "I just gave the ball a little nudge."

"That's _awesome_!" Tails gazed around the building. Some other teams threw glares at the pair. Landon and his friends hadn't noticed yet, thankfully.

"Boom! Five points!" Ava cheered, watching her second ball sink into the back. She spun around, waving her hands in his face. "Beat that! No really, do it, winner buys."

"Shouldn't it be loser buys?"

"Not when this is a game of who's the _worst_ player."

" _Oh_."

The ball retreated to the holder at their end. Ava shoved Tails forward. She shot the boy an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. Tails grabbed a bright pink ball with white swirls. He inched toward the approach zone.

After a moment, he shook his head. "I can't do this," he stated and turned around. "Everyone's staring."

Ava glanced to her right and left. "No one's watching. It's all in your head." There were a few peers spotted throughout the place who watched the pair curiously, but nobody Tails should care about.

Tails turned back to the lane. He tossed the ball without thinking. He knew if he pondered too long, he wouldn't do anything. So, he tried a different tactic, the Sonic Tactic.

 _Act fast; don't think._

The ball barreled down the lane. Tails held his breath as veered to the left and right. Ava raised her hand, ready to knock it back into bounce.

She was unneeded, though. The ball knocked over two pins on the side of the pyramid. Tails turned to her, eyes bright and grinning.

"Nice job!" Ava cheered. She pat his shoulder, beaming.

"You didn't help, right?"

"Nope!"

"Awesome!"

Landon glanced over, wondering where Tails disappeared to. He spotted the two tailed fox at another lane, bowling with the earth nerd. He scoffed. _Bad move, Tails. You'll be a loser from here on out_.

As if to prove his point, Brody caught sight of the pair. He nudged Mason and pointed at his targets. "Check it out," he mocked, "the losers have paired up. Adorable, right?"

The trio watched Tails roll a gutter ball. The girl smacked his arm, annoyed. He just laughed.

"Cheater!" the nerd accused.

"Poor kids, don't even realize how terrible they are," Mason sighed, wiping a fake tear from his eye.

Brody nudged Landon's arm. "Your turn, buddy."

Landon grabbed a ball, already forgetting about his roommate.

•••••

The teams played late into the night. When one side finished a game, they started another. Avaleigh and Landon glared at each other once and a while, as though challenging the other to keep going. The staff glowered at the remaining kids, praying they'd leave soon.

When Tails and Ava's game ended, Ava had to call it quits. She hated admitting defeat, but she had stayed up too late the night before and could barely keep her eyes open.

Half of Landon's team left a few hours earlier. All that remained were Landon, Mason, Brody, and two other boys from their floor. Upon realizing the other team had finished, the boys cheered.

"I think you owe me a chili dog," Tails said as they walked to the door.

"You think? I lost track of how many I lost! Tie?"

Tails laughed. "Sure, okay. You don't want to admit victory, I get it."

Ava smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for playing with me. That was the most fun I've had at this school so far."

"Me too. I mean, I've only been here a few days, but me too."

"Hey, Tails!" Landon called. Ava tossed a scowl at the older boy.

"I'll see you tomorrow," She said, disappearing out the doors.

Tails didn't look at Landon when Landon approached. Landon normally wouldn't care, but Tails was actually cool to talk to. And they were roommate, so Tails couldn't just not talk for the rest of the year.

To his surprise though, it was Tails who broke the silence.

"Ava's really nice. I don't know why you guys are so mean to her."

Landon shrugged. "It's just how things go. The strong rule over the weak."

Tails shook his head. "That's such a terrible mindset. Wars start over that."

"Give it a few weeks and you'll get it. It's every fox for himself here. You have to be with people who will make you stronger. Foxes like Ava will drag you down."

"And foxes like Mason and Brody won't?" Tails shot back. "My brother says bullies are only strong for so long. Eventually, you'll fall."

Just then, there was a yell from ahead.

"My purse!" a woman shouted. "He stole my purse!"

A dark figure pushed past them, shoving the boys aside. Landon stumbled and glared after the guy.

"Jerk," he mumbled, rolling his shoulder and turning back to the path. "Anyways-" Landon looked at Tails and stopped.

He was alone on the sidewalk.

"Uh, Tails?"

Landon looked over his shoulder. Tails was nowhere to be found.

 _How could he just disappear?_

"Hey!"

At the other end of the street, the figure was tackled by something in the gleam of the street light.

Landon's mouth fell open. _How did… Was Tails_ _ **flying**_ _?!_

The two wrestled on the concrete for a moment. Then, Tails climbed to his feet and disappeared into the darkness again. The two tailed fox hovered over Landon. He landed next to the woman.

"Here you go," Tails said with a smile.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, hugging him tight. She pulled away and walked off, purse clutched to her chest.

Landon caught up to Tails. "I have so many questions."

"I have one, too. Why didn't you do anything? That woman needed help."

Landon shrugged, stepping away. "I dunno. It wasn't my problem, I guess."

Tails crossed his arms. "That's not right."

"Yeah, well, get used to it. Everyone's like that around here."

"No." Tails shook his head. "I won't let myself fall to that level."

He turned and flew home, leaving Landon in the dust.

•••••

The next day, Tails met Ava in the cafeteria for lunch. They sat at the back of the room, claiming a round table just for the two of them.

"So, what else is there to do on weekends?" Tails asked, swallowing a bite of chili dog.

"Bowl," she answered.

"Yeah, but what _else_?"

Ava chewed on her lip. "… _Bowl_."

"You're telling me the only thing to do here is bowl?"

"It's a small, isolated island covered in snow. There's not much."

"The why don't you go snowboarding? Or sledding?"

Ava shrugged. "We're not allowed outside the city limits, and the slopes inside are small and lame."

"Why can't we leave?"

"It's dangerous."

"Oh." The reasonable side of Tails wanted to accept this and move on, figuring the city was protecting them for a reason. However, the Sonic-influenced side was tempted to break the rules and venture outside the city limits to find the best slope and shred some snow. Like always though, his reasonable side won and he dropped the subject.

When they finished eating, they carried their trays to the front of the cafeteria. Blaine was just exiting the line when the pair passed.

"Hey!" Blaine shouted after them. Tails and Ava turned, along with the rest of the room.

"Uh-oh," Ava whispered.

Blaine towered over Tails like a dark shadow. The height difference was at least a foot. Blaine's dark eyes glared down his nose and pierced into Tails' anxious blue ones.

"Hi," Tails said because the silence was uncomfortable. Blaine's intimidating tactic of staring down his prey was unnervingly effective. Tails wanted to shrink away and disappear.

"You're new, aren't you?" Something about Blaine's grin made Tails shudder.

Tails wanted to lie and say he'd been there for months, but the attention he'd been getting the past few days would be a dead giveaway. There was no way Blaine hadn't heard of him by then.

"Yeah," Tails answered.

"Thought so."

Tails noticed Ava retreated a few steps. He noticed a lot of students around watched Blaine wearily. It was the same way he saw a lot of citizens across Mobius react to villains and other predators. Blaine was the villain of White Valley, feared by all.

This was about the time Sonic would crack a joke about how big Blaine's nose was, then he would punch Blaine in the face and end the fox's reign of terror. Sonic wouldn't be cowering in fear, praying the bully spared him.

Tails had gotten better over the years with facing bad guys. He could hold his own against Eggman back home (then again, Eggman was a bit of a joke). However, this guy was super powered and super bug. Blaine could probably knock Tails out with one punch. This, Tails realized, was probably not something he could handle on his own.

But, who could he turn to? Ava was a few feet behind, avoiding eye contact. Tails gazed across the cafeteria desperately. Landon was a few tables away, watching the exchange with an emotionless expression. He really didn't care.

 _It's every fox for himself._

Blaine grabbed Tails' shoulder. His grip was firm and strong, crushing the younger's bone beneath his grasp. Tails winced, twisting his face in pain.

"Watch your back, newbie," Blaine sneered. He released the younger and walked on, laughing.

Tails grabbed his shoulder and took a deep breath. Ava rejoined him, watching guiltily.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Blaine just… No one stands up to him. He kinda rules the school."

Tails' shoulder throbbed. He massaged it gently as tears gathered in his eyes. He forced himself to calm down; Tails refused to let any of those jerks see him cry.

"Let's just get out of here," Tails muttered. He stormed out, too many thoughts running through his head.

There was one consistent idea that he couldn't get rid of: He _really_ missed home.


	5. Teacher's Pet

Tails was relived to see Ava in his first period class Monday morning. She sat in the middle of the room, head resting in her hand with heavy eyelids threatening to fall shut. Ava waved sluggishly at him, though.

A few rows back, Blaine slouched at his desk. He was nestled in the far right corner, surrounded by his friends. Blaine was in the middle of tossing paper wads ay a boy across from him. The bully glanced up when he ran out of paper and caught Tails' eye.

Blaine smirked and Tails shuddered.

Tails claimed a front row seat in the first column of desks. He was as far from Blaine as possible. Surely the bully wouldn't bother him there, right?

The history teacher pulled the door shut at the sound of the last bell. She lowered the projection screen and turned on a page of notes.

"Now before we begin," she said, turning to her class, "I want to welcome the new faces I spy. My name is Mrs. Tracie and this is sixth grade history."

Blaine coughed, "Nerd."

"What was that, Mr. Indigo?"

The class twisted in their seats, setting their gazes on the bully. Tails rolled his eyes, slumping in his chair.

"What?" Blaine said. "Nothing, just talking to my buddy in the front there."

Mrs. Tracie scanned the front row until her eyes fell on the two tailed fox trying to shrink his way into nonexistence.

"Mr. Indigo, please keep your comments to yourself," Mrs. Tracie sighed.

"Yeah ma'am," Blaine snickered.

Tails really didn't like him.

The rest of class moved agonizingly slow. Wads of paper sailed across five rows of students and bounced off the back of Tails' head every time the teacher looked away. His desk was right next to the trash, so Blaine and his friends tossed blank pages away while whispering and mocking the two tailed fox.

To drown out the teasing, Tails busied himself by answering questions. He answered any questions asked whether he knew them or not.

Mrs. Tracie smiled, happy that at least one of her students was interested.

But, this action only earned Tails a new nickname. "Teacher's pet," Blaine sneered as he walked back to his seat.

Tails rolled his eyes. The name stuck, taunting whispers rippling through the class as the minutes wound down.

Ava glanced at a pair of girls next to her. One leaned over the back of her seat to talk softly to her friend. She couldn't hear them, but Ava could guess what or _who_ the topic was about.

"Hey, shut it," Ava snapped. "I'm trying to work."

They shot identical glares at her and returned to the assignment.

Ava glanced at the clock. She counted in her head, three, two, one…

 _RIIIIING!_

Tails was the first one to leave. He grabbed his bag and raced through the door the second the bell rang. He didn't even know what class he had next; he just had to _get out of there_.

That was one of the worst things he'd experienced, sitting through forty-five minutes of constant teases and mocks aimed directly at him. It reminded him far too much of when he was younger. His tails made him a far too easy target for bullying. Tails felt sick at the idea of history repeating itself.

"Hey," Ava said. She pulled open a locker next to him and exchanged her books. "You okay?" She tossed a side glance at him, worried.

Tails gnawed on his lip. "Why's he picking on me? There are plenty of other new kids, so why me?"

Ava frowned. "He'll move on to another guy soon, don't worry." She wished she could tell him something more comforting.

"He shouldn't even be doing it at all," Tails mumbled. "It's not right."

"Yeah, but unfortunately, this school isn't built on what's right and wrong. We're here to be the best, better than all the rest."

Tails looked at her and smiled a little. "Did you just quote the school's motto?"

Ava giggled. "Maybe."

The pair glanced at the posters plastered across the walls; the saying was practically everywhere.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up," Tails said. "I gotta head to class."

"Sorry it didn't help much. Hey, wanna hangout later? Ice cream fixes everything!"

Tails laughed. "Sure, sounds like a plan. See ya!"

"Later, gator."

•••••

Tails' math class was weird.

He didn't recognize any of the kids except for Landon and his friends. Where were the rest of the sixth graders? Was he in the wrong class?

"Excuse me," Tails said, standing at the teacher's desk, "I think I"m in the wrong room. I'm looking for Mr. Matthews' class."

"I'm Mr. Matthews," the white fox said. "This is seventh grade algebra two. Are you in seventh grade?"

"Erm no, but my schedule put me here." Tails handed the piece of paper over.

Mr. Matthews scanned the schedule. "Miles Prower," he read and Tails' cheeks burned. He hated hearing that name. "Oh yeah, I've heard about you."

 _Oh great_ , Tails sighed.

"You're my first sixth grader to skip a level. Welcome to my class, Miles." Mr. Matthews smiled, returning the schedule.

"Thanks, but can you call me Tails? I don't like my name."

The teacher nodded. "Sure thing, Tails."

"Uh what's he doing here?"

Tails pinched the bridge of his nose. He had wondered how long it would take Brody to notice, but Tails was hoping he could slip by this time. Seriously though, of all the class periods he _could've_ been in…

"Tails is part of our class now," Mr. Matthews announced, rising from his chair, "so treat him with respect."

 _I doubt they even know the meaning of the word._

Tails turned and gazed around his class. Brody sat right in front of him, snout scrunched in a scowl. Landon sat on the left and Mason sat on the right, next to the window.

The two tailed fox took a seat in the front row, one away from Landon. There was a voice in his head that warned him against sitting in the front again. He ignored it, though. Tails wanted to sit in the front and be sure he understood everything. He liked being closer to the board, too; he focused better.

Mr. Matthews started the class with an equation full of square roots and letters and symbols that jumbled into each other. It wasn't anything Tails hadn't seen before. He scanned the board, doing the math in his head.

"What's the answer?" Mr. Matthews asked, turning to his students.

"Ten!"

A millisecond later, "Ten!"

Mr. Matthews smiled. "You're fast, Tails! Brody called it first, though."

Brody leaned forward and smirked at the younger fox. There was a dark glint in his eye. "Gotta be faster, kid."

 _Faster?_ Tails narrowed his eyes. _Fine_.

Mr. Matthews erased the problem and scribbled a new one. "How about this one?" he asked.

Tails blurted, "Twenty-two!" He wasn't one hundred percent sure that was correct, but he was _ninety-nine point eight_.

"He guessed!" Brody accused.

"He guessed _correctly_ ," Mr. Matthews stated, smiling. "Nice one, Tails!"

Landon and Mason exchanged looks over Brody's shoulder while the latter growled in Tails' direction.

Tails felt a surge of pride course through him, the feeling only gaining more and more strength as the two battled it out. It was a race to see who could answer the most questions in the least amount of time. The boys were neck and neck throughout the period, Tails inching ahead with two answers but falling just a bit slower on one.

Landon and the rest of the class watched in awe, stunned into silence as they watched this newbie beat Brody at his own game. To some, it was amusing. There weren't many students outside of Brody's group of friends who could tolerate him for very long. To others, the sight was a bit horrific. Not only was Brody _the_ smartest kid in the entire middle school, but he was also a force to be reckoned with when pushed over the edge. Some still remember that day in the sixth grade when he broke a classmate's finger because Brody was beat in dodgeball.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the round. Brody answered the last question, deeming him the victor. Still though, Tails walked out of the room with a bit more confidence than when he entered. Sure, yeah, Brody was glowering at him from across the hall, but Tails nearly put the guy in his place. It felt good knowing Tails could match up with him.

The day wasn't turning out so bad after all.

•••••

"Sticks beat Knuckles in an arm wrestling match."

Tails lay sprawled on his bed, empty cup of ice cream against his side. His arm rested on his stomach and he stared at the ceiling. He laughed loudly, enjoying the sound fill the empty room.

"No way," he said. "Bet he took that hard."

"He says it was just luck," Sonic explained, scoffing. "Doesn't matter though, 'cause I'm not letting him live it down."

Tails smiled. He missed watching the friendly competitions between his friends.

"How're things on your end?" Sonic asked.

"Fine," Tails answered. He rolled his head to the side and tilted his chin back, gazing up at Landon's posters. It was weird that he'd been to a lot of the places on the wall. "I'm in an advanced math class. Apparently, that's never happened before."

"No one's ever been in an advanced class?"

"I'm sure they have, but I mean no sixth grader has ever been in a seventh grade math class."

Sonic hummed. "Nice job, buddy. Wasn't today just your first day, though? How'd they know you belonged in an advanced class?"

Tails sighed. "Probably the same way they found out about my name."

"Oh, right. Lorelei and her secrets. By the way, has anything weird happened? No one's tried anything have they?"

Tails immediately thought of Blaine in the cafeteria yesterday. He rolled his shoulder subconsciously. "No, but this village is kinda strange."

"Strange how?"

"Well," Tails sat up, scratching behind his ear, "for one, the only thing to do here is bowl. Everyone's _obsessed_ with it, too! I mean, I guess that's what happens when it's the only thing to do… Oh! And my friend Ava said we're not allowed to leave city limits."

"Why?"

"She said it's dangerous."

"Well, what happens if you leave?"

Tails frowned. "She didn't say." Now, he was curious. He'd have to ask her tomorrow in class.

Sonic sighed, "Yeah, that _is_ -"

"Hey," Landon greeted as he walked through the door. He jumped on his bed and kicked his shoes off.

"Who's the jerk that just interrupted me?" Sonic demanded.

"Who're you callin' a jerk, jerk?" Landon snapped.

Tails grabbed his pillow and chucked it at Landon. "Shush," he said. "I'm on a call."

"Don't throw a pillow at me," Landon said, flinging the pillow back at Tails. He missed by a few feet and the pillow knocked over a lamp on the desk beside Tails' bed. The boys held their breaths as the lamp toppled over and crashed onto the floor.

"Nice goin'," Sonic snickered.

Landon pointed at where the lamp once stood. "That… Fell on its own."

Tails nodded. "Agreed."

"Who're you talkin' to?" Landon asked, settling against the wall. He pulled his laptop onto his lap.

"My brother Sonic, the one I was telling you about."

"Hey," Sonic said.

"And this is my roommate, Landon."

"Sup," Landon said.

"Tails, I gotta go. Amy needs me."

Tails smirked. " _Ooooooh_."

"Shut it. See ya, buddy."

"Bye, Sonic!"

Tails pressed a button on his watch to end the call.

"You guys seem close," Landon said, glancing over from his laptop.

The younger nodded, crossing his legs. "Yeah," he chuckled. "He's my best friend. We're not really brothers, but we may as well be." He met Landon's eyes. "Do you have any siblings?"

Landon scoffed, shaking his head. "No way, not me. No siblings, no parents, no nothin'."

"What?" Tails' eyes widened.

The older looked away, focusing back on his computer. He shrugged. "Yeah. It's no big deal, though. I grew up on my own, so who really needs them?"

"What happened to them?" Tails asked tentatively. He wanted to know more, but he didn't want to pry if Landon didn't want to talk.

"I don't know," Landon sighed, lips pressed into a thin smile. "One day they were there and the next they weren't. Lorelei tried taking me in, but I refused and ran. I was living on the streets until I was old enough to enroll here."

"I'm sorry," Tails said. He didn't know what else to say. What Landon just described was a strange situation. How could his family just up and leave like that, without his acknowledgement? And how was Lorelei there, ready to take him in at the same time? There was something fishy about it all.

Landon didn't respond. He'd heard it all before, the pitiful and patronizing 'I'm sorry's that seemed to be the only thing people knew how to say to him. He hated the sound of the words. He hated the way people walked off after uttering those words, apparently unable to help a kid on the street. Landon bit his tongue.

"I was on my own for a while, too," Tails said. Landon looked at him, confused. Tails continued, "I don't remember my parents, either. We may have gotten separated at some point, but I never found my way back to them. I kinda jumped around from one island to another. The longest I stayed in one place was on West Side Island with a small village. They were rough and mean, but they didn't let me starve. Then, I found Sonic and I made some adjustments to his plane… Without his permission." Tails laughed. "For some reason, he kept me around. I'd probably be dead without him."

"You're lucky you found him," Landon mumbled. He cracked a smile.

Tails nodded. "Yeah, I am." He frowned, glancing at his communicator. Talking about Sonic made him homesick all of a sudden. Tails missed his friends a lot. He was thankful for being about to speak to them, but it wasn't the same as talking face-to-face. He wondered when he'd be able to see them again.

"Oh hey," Landon said, looking at Tails once more, "some tips about fitting in around here? Don't be a teacher's pet; nobody likes a kiss up. But don't go and try beating the upperclassmen, either."

Tails pursed his lips. "Okay, just because you're in the seventh grade doesn't make you an upperclassmen."

"Just lay low. Don't draw attention and keep to yourself. They'll find other things to talk about eventually."

"I don't wanna lay low! I like answering all the questions and I like beating Brody at his own game." Tails smiled. "It's fun."

Landon didn't admit to agreeing with that statement, claiming it was as amusing to watch as well. Instead, he said, "Either you start blending in with everyone or you stop complaining about people picking on you. Your choice."

"That shouldn't _be_ a choice! Why can't I just be myself without being bullied?"

The older sighed. Tails was too passionate about this for being a Wind type. He was maybe the only one of his type who cared this much about anything. Landon had to admire it a bit, though.

"Because that's not how things are. Being yourself is too risky, as you already know. Take your pick: Be yourself or be bullied. It's not hard."

Tails' head fell in his hands with a huff. It _was_ hard, actually. Sonic always told him to be himself.

 _"Anybody who don't like that can take a long walk off a short cliff."_

And Tails tried his very best to stand by that. With Sonic, it was easy. If anyone so much as looked at Tails the wrong way, Sonic was there, defending him.

This time though, Tails was alone. The only one defending him was himself. _Every fox for himself_. Tails hated that rule, but he didn't have much of a choice.

"I'm gonna be myself," Tails decided. "They can't break me that easily." On the inside, Tails was panicking over the possibilities of what 'breaking him' actually meant. For the second time in only a day, Tails wished more than anything that he was back home.

Landon, unbeknownst to Tails' panic, hummed in surprise. He crossed his arms over his chest and glanced over the boy. Tails' confidence almost made Landon want to stand against his own friends and be himself more often.

 _Almost_.

* * *

This was a bit of a filler chapter, so it may be a little boring, but it was an _important_ filler chapter, mind you! This is the official start of Tails' arc :D I'm excited, are you excited?!

I'm _also_ excited for the next chapter because we're taking a trip back to Bygone Island to see how Sonic and the others have been doing. Spoiler: Sonic learns _more_ reasons to despise Lorelei. Can't wait for you guys to read it! :)

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed this so far! I wasn't expecting really anyone to read it, honestly. I know there's _a lot_ of fanfiction in this fandom, and I'm happy you chose mine! So again, thank you :)


	6. Big Brother

Being scared of water was really strange because he hated being in it, but the rain was calming.

It was late Wednesday night. The village had long gone to bed and for an hour or so, there was silence. Sonic sat outside, back against the rail that wrapped around the porch. He ad walked out there after an hour of tossing and turning and being unable to fall asleep.

Just as he'd settled on the porch, thunder rumbled in the distance. His hears flicked and he turned his head toward the darkness residing over the quiet ocean. The stars had disappeared behind a blanket of clouds and sharp flashes of lightning took their place.

Sonic jumped to his feet. He took two steps forward before his gaze fell on Tails' hut and he remembered. Rain splattered across his nose. Sonic shifted back, shoulders slumping as he sighed.

"Oh right," he mumbled. "You're not here."

Sonic sat back on the porch, drawing his legs in as the rain fell in buckets. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched the storm approach.

It had been two weeks since Tails left. Sonic found adjusting to be more difficult than he though. The first week, he was at Tails' hut every night making sure the kid didn't stay up late. Tails had a bad habit of becoming too engrossed in his work and forgetting to do normal things like eat and sleep. So, Sonic had gotten used to dragging the kid off to bed often. Every night that week though, he was faced with the reminder that Tails wasn't there.

A clap of thunder rattled him for the core. He worried for a moment about storms in White Valley. Do thunderstorms even occur in the winter? He didn't know exactly. Still though, the thought of the little fox curled on his bed, scared to death like he always was when a storm hit… Sonic was concerned, far more than he'd ever admit to anyone.

He was also _really_ annoyed. If Lorelei hadn't showed up, Tails would still be there. Sonic wouldn't have to worry because he could keep an eye on him, just like he'd been doing since the pair met. Even if Sonic had to leave for a few days, he left Tails somewhere safe. Sonic never had to worry. But this, this was dangerous different. Tails was in a strange location with people Sonic didn't trust. He didn't think about it often (or, well, he _tried_ ), but something could happen to Tails and Sonic couldn't do a thing about it. The idea made him _sick_.

Sonic retreated inside as the storm reached the shore. That moment was one of the time he considered getting a door for his hut. It'd probably be safer.

He climbed into his hammock and stared at the ceiling. The bed swayed back and forth, a gentle rhythm to calm his thoughts. Sonic knew thinking about things he couldn't help wouldn't make him feel any better. So with one final thought about talking to Tails the next day, Sonic fell asleep.

•••••

Amy met Sticks and Knuckles at Meh Burger the next morning. The restaurant was in the middle of a lunch rush. Amy decided to wait for the line to go down and joined her friends at their table.

"Morning," she greeted, smiling and taking a seat next to Knuckles.

"Morning," Knuckled replied.

"Hey," Stick mumbled, mouth full of food. Amy handed her a napkin, recoiling in disgust.

Knuckles looked at something over Amy's shoulder. "Eggman alert." The girls and the rest of the restaurant turned to look at the incoming villain.

He was unusually chipper than his normal self. "Oh, morning!" Eggman greeted, smiling at the trio. "Lovely day, isn't it?" He strolled past the table, Orbot and Cubot in tow. They hopped in line behind the mayor.

"What's he so happy about?" Sticks mumbled.

"Dunno, but look how much food he's getting," Amy said. Dave the Ex Intern slid a large bag with Meh Burger's logo across the counter. A moment later, the to-go meal was accompanied by two drinks.

"I thought robots couldn't eat," Knuckles wondered, confused.

"They can't," Amy answered, "so who's the other drink for?"

As Eggman was leaving, Sonic was arriving. He and Eggman exchanged glares, though the man couldn't help smirking at the hedgehog.

"Why's Eggman look so smug?" Sonic demanded. He took a seat next to Sticks.

"Probably 'cause he just ordered enough food for two Eggmans!" Knuckles exclaimed.

"What? Eggface has no friends! Something's up." Sonic narrowed his eyes.

A low hum drifted through the village. It gradually increased with every second until it shook the ground like the thunder the night before. Sonic and friends searched for the source while the village gasped and turned to each other in surprise. A large black plane descended from the darkening clouds in the gray sky.

Sonic glared. " _That_ looks familiar."

Amy tilted her head, frowning. "What's it doing here?"

"Tails is back!" Knuckles cheered.

"Doubt it," Sonic argued. "He would've said something."

Sticks leaned forward. "It's landing at Eggman's place."

"I _knew_ it!" Sonic cried. "I knew she was bad!"

"We don't know anything yet," Amy argued.

" _Don't know_ -Ames, she's hanging out with _Eggman_!" Sonic exclaimed. He jumped to his feet, hands clenching into fists. "I'm gonna go pay them a visit."

"I'm going with you!" Amy declared. "Just to, uh, make sure you don't do anything stupid." She shied away from Knuckled and Sticks' smug grins.

Sonic bit back a smile and nodded. "Let's go."

•••••

"Lorelei," Eggman greeted, raising a soft drink in her direction.

"Ivo," she smiled, "it's been a while. Have you lost weight?"

Eggman blushed. "I have been watching my diet, thanks for noticing. Sit, please. I have lunch for us."

Lorelei grabbed the empty bag from beside the couch as she sat down. "Meh Burger?" she read. "Is this… Good?"

Eggman shook his head. "Heavens, no! But, it's the only thing in town. Eat up!"

The pair sat in front of an open archway leading down a long hallway. Eggman glanced at the doorway before sitting down; he had a feeling he was being watched.

"So," he began, shaking the feeling away, "how are things going?"

Lorelei gnawed at the burger, grimacing in disgust. "Um." She paused, forced herself to swallow, shuddered. "That is… _Something_."

Eggman nodded. "It's an acquired taste."

"I can see that." She dropped the burger back on its paper and wrapped it up. She could wait to eat until she returned to her island. "As I was saying, things are fine. I've nearly narrowed down my search for who will lead the revolution."

"Are you considering Tails?"

"I haven't decided yet. It's true he's remarkably intelligent for his age and incredibly powerful, however…"

"Incredibly… _Powerful_?" Eggman scrunched his nose, confused. "He's no idiot but, c'mon… Isn't he just a twelve year old kid?"

"A twelve year old kid who nearly shattered a two pane window by accident. I can't wait to see what he's capable of properly trained! Still though, I don't know if he'll understand what we're fighting for."

Just past that arched doorway behind them, Sonic and Amy flanked the archway. They peered around the corner, listening intently to the conversation.

"He's too smart for that," Sonic growled quietly.

"He may be intelligent, but he's still naive. You can persuade him with the right words," Eggman reassured. "Oh! And I have some things for you." He rose to his feet and walked around the couch, toward the archway.

Amy and Sonic froze as Eggman walked past them. She looked at Sonic frantically. Eggman turned and opened a closet on Amy's side. He held her breath, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Sonic peeked into the main room. He scanned the foyer carefully, searching for a hiding spot.

Amy hissed, "Son-"

He grabbed her hand, dragging her off in a blur. They weaved through the room, dodging couches and tables. He pulled her behind a control desk across the room near another archway, this one seal shut with a heavy metal door.

"Why would you bring us closer?!" Amy whispered.

"Because now we can hear better!" Sonic defended. "Shh!"

Eggman strolled back into the room with a box in his hands. As he dropped it on the coffee table, he explained, "I've picked this stuff up over the years. When I heard of it was off limits 'cause some monster race used to own them, I had to get my hands on them."

"Did you pick them up or did you steal them?"

Eggman shrugged. "To-may-to, to-mah-to."

"So monsters, huh? That's what they're calling us now." Lorelei sighed, peering into the box. She scanned the items inside, some of which were already back at the academy. Her gaze fell on something small and brown and her lips twitched into a smile.

"Do you have a napkin or glove I can borrow?" she asked, glancing at the scientist.

Eggman frowned, wondering for a moment whether the rumors were true and the kitsune _were_ crazy.

"We're not crazy," she almost snapped. "If you'll give me something, I'll show you what I'm talking about."

The scientist was intrigued despite how odd the whole thing looked. He disappeared for a moment and returned with a pair of rubber gloves. He handed them over, took a step away, and watched.

Sonic and Amy peered around the sides of the desk. All eyes were on Lorelei as she ever so carefully plucked the item from the box. It was a smaller box, dark brown and covered in ancient markings. Eggman made a face and scratched his head.

 _All that for a box?_ he wondered.

"This is called a soul box," she explained. "When an evolved kitsune touches a free box, their soul becomes tethered to it. If the box is destroyed, that kitsune dies."

"Huh," Eggman hummed. "Interesting."

"I guess now would be a great time for a talk with some of my students."

Sonic's grasp around the edge of the desk tightened. Amy crawled over and whispered, "Let's get out of here."

"No way," he argued. "I wanna give her a piece of my mind!"

"No!" she grabbed his arm before he got any ideas. "They don't know we're listening. Let's get back and warn Tails."

Lorelei smiled.

"Thank you for the gifts, Ivo. I haven't seen most of these in centuries."

Eggman raised an eyebrow. "Forgive me, but how old _are_ you?"

Lorelei gathered the box in her hands. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to ask a woman's age?"

Sonic looked at Amy. He grabbed her hand. "Let's get out of here," he decided.

•••••

"Hold on, _what_?"

Sonic sighed. "A box that traps souls. If it's destroyed, the soul dies with it."

Tails was quiet on the other end for a moment. Then, "Do you… You realize how insane that sounds, right?"  
"Uh-huh. I can't believe I just said it, either."

"She also said she's searching for someone to lead the revolution," Amy added.

She and Sonic met with Knuckles and Sticks after they fled Eggman's fortress. They sat on Sonic's porch, cups in hand. They may have grabbed some drinks from Meh Burger before calling Tails… Don't judge.

"Revolution for what?"

"Dunno, but it can't be good," Sonic muttered. "Keep your eyes open for anything weird."

"Got it," Tails agreed.

"Oh," Amy said, "and what's this about you breaking windows?"

Tails gasped. "How did you-"

"Lorelei was telling Eggman about it." Sonic smiled a little. "She said you were pretty powerful."

He could practically see Tails shrugging at the statement. "That's what everyone's saying. It was an accident, though. I'm not that powerful, not compared to B…" He fell silent.

Sonic tilted his head. "You okay, bud?"

"Yeah, fine."

The hedgehog glanced around his friends. Then he jumped to his feet and raced across the sand until he was out of earshot. He leaned against a palm tree and raised his wrist to his mouth.

"Tails," he warned. Sonic knew Tails was lying; the kid was terrible at it.

"I'm _fine_ ," Tails declared.

Sonic waited a beat.

"I can't even see you and I know you're giving me the _look_."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sonic snickered.

"Alright fine," Tails sighed with defeat. "There's this guy named Blaine who likes picking on the new kids."

Sonic's eyes narrowed. "Tails, 'm pretty sure you can handle some bully."

"He's really strong, Sonic," Tails almost whined.

"Hey listen buddy, I can't be there to protect you this time." If he could though, Sonic would make sure that Blaine guy regretted ever _looking_ at Tails the wrong way. "I know you can beat him, okay? Don't give up."

Tails took a deep breath. "Right. Thanks, Sonic."

A door closed in the background. Tails' roommate Landon said, "Hey."

"Hey," Tails replied.

"Ava's in the lobby waiting for you. I don't know _how_ she got inside, though."

"Okay," Tails laughed. Sonic couldn't help but smile; he missed that laugh.

"Ava?" Sonic teased. "Who's that?"

"She's a _friend_."

"Uh huh, _sure_ she is."

Tails snickered. "Right, and how are you and Amy doing?"

Sonic scowled. He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Don't you have somewhere you need to be?"

Tails laughed again. "You can't run from it forever, big bro! But yeah, I do. I'll talk to you later."

"You better. I wanna know how you broke the window."

"After dinner," Tails promised.

"Fine. And don't forget what I said!"

"The first or second thing?"

"Both."

"Gotcha. See ya, Sonic."

"Bye, bud."

Sonic sighed and dragged a hand down his face. It was beginning to look like Team Sonic would be getting back to work. This time though, it was missing one member and gaining two. Sonic turned to his friends still lounging on his porch, chatting and relaxing. They'd be up to the challenge for sure.

And what a challenge it will be. Sonic could handle Eggman no problem, but Lorelei and her world was unknown to the rest of the Mobians. He actually had no idea what he was up against. Still though, Tails was on the other end of this. Sonic didn't care how outmatched he may be so long as it meant bringing Tails home.

The hedgehog crossed his arms over his chest. He watched the sharp black jet take off from Eggman's cliff. Sonic smirked, narrowing his eyes. "Whatever you're up to, you won't get far. Game on, Lorelei."

* * *

Sorry this took so long!

I write all my chapters in a notebook at school, and I had written ten pages of this in a few days. Everything was going great, I knew what I wanted to do, and I had no writer's block. But then I stopped and reread what I had written and I realized I was moving too fast. So, I _ripped out_ those ten pages and restarted. All together, I've written about _twenty and a half_ pages on this chapter. So yeah, that's why it took longer than usual D:

Hope it was worth the wait though! :)


	7. Ava

Real quick: The sections in italics are flashbacks.

Happy belated Easter guys! Hope you enjoy :)

* * *

The elevator sang with its arrival and its door slid open. Ava stepped inside, blowing a bubble with her blueberry gum. She pressed one of the two buttons of the leg side of the control panel.

"Seventh floor; certification, please," a robotic voice demanded. Ava bent over, eyes falling level to the camera hidden behind a metal panel. A blue beam shone against her face. Her eyes widened as the light scanned her features.

"Welcome, Avaleigh Hanlon."

"Hold the elevator!" a voice called. Ava looked up in surprise. A boy from her math class ran toward her, waving his hand and breathing hard. He was running late, she realized.

"Sorry," Ava said as the doors slid closed.

"No, wait!"

"Take the stairs—It's good for you."

"But my class is on the fifth-"

The doors shut, cutting him off. Ava glanced at her phone and sighed.

"He's not making it to class on time." She felt bad, but there was nothing she could do. The guy should manage his time better.

When the doors opened again, they revealed a wooden door. Ava fished a card key out of her messenger bag and unlocked the door. Although the elevator was nearly impossible to get past without the proper identification, the door was just an extra layer of security. Can never be too safe, after all.

The door opened into a small lounge. There was a gray couch pushed against the left wall with a brown coffee table in front of it. Across the room was a kitchen area including two counters, a sink, microwave, and a mini fridge. Straight ahead was a hallway lined with a printer on one side and filing cabinets on the other. At the end of the hall, a closed wooden door with HEADMISTRESS printed in black letters across the window.

Although the seventh floor was Lorelei's office, the lounge was mostly for Ava's benefit. Sometimes, the kit did her homework there instead of in her dorm. She was guaranteed privacy and silence up there, and sometimes Lorelei helped with her work.

Ava's science book was on the coffee table, opened to a random page. She had fallen asleep there in the middle of studying for a test, and woke too late the next morning to gather everything.

She dropped the book in her bag and walked to the mini fridge. It was stocked with bottles of water and bags of vegetables. Lorelei was strict about healthy eating. Ava didn't mind the veggies, but she preferred the bags of chips in the cafeteria even more. Still, she ate from the fridge for Lorelei's sake.

Ava checked the digital clock on the wall. 10:30. She wondered when Lorelei would return. The headmistress took off earlier that morning according to the note she left on the counter. She had mentioned leaving the night before, but she never said where she was going.

Ava tried asking, but the only response she received was, "I'm visiting an old friend. His name is Dr. Eggman."

And although that name really threw Ava off and only sparked her curiosity, she knew better than to question Lorelei. The last time Lorelei went on a trip, Ava asked too many questions. The memory was still fresh in her mind.

 _"I'm told his name is Tails, but our records say Miles. Strange."_

 _"That's a weird name. Who is he? Where's he from? How old is he? Can I go?"_

 _Lorelei held up her paw then, purple lightning radiating off her fingertips. "Ask me something else, I dare you," she growled, threatening, challenging the girl._

 _Ava didn't say another word._

Although Ava can't remember ever witnessing Lorelei's power, she'd heard stories. Lorelei was one of the oldest staff members of the school. Legends and rumors have fed her reputation for years.

Ava stepped into the elevator and hit the L button. She munched on her baby carrots as she rode the elevator down.

When she stepped off, the bell just rang for the end of third period. She blended with the crowd and the elevator doors slid shut.

Nobody suspected a thing.

•••••

That evening, Ava snuck into the boys' dorm. The key she used to get into the 7th floor was a skeleton key; she had access to any room in the school! Well, _almost_ any room. Like the rest of the school, there was still one floor she was off limits to: Level eight. There was no use in asking what was up there, either. Lorelei was nothing if she didn't have her secrets.

Ava lay sprawled across the couch in the lobby of the boys' dorm. She was there to grab Tails and head to dinner, but she didn't know what room he was in. It didn't matter, though. His roommate would be walking through any moment now.

Don't ask how she knew that.

Right on schedule, Landon walked through the main door.

Ava peered over the back of the couch. Landon stood just inside the doorway, running a hand through his hair. She guessed it began to snow outside, because he only did that when his hair was wet. He strolled through the lobby, hand resting on his bag that bounced against his leg. Landon glanced around the quiet room tiredly.

He stopped when his gray eyes met Ava's green. She felt her heart skip two beats in that moment.

 _He's so cute_ , she thought helplessly.

"Why are you here?" he sneered, scrunching his nose.

 _He's such a jerk_ , she sighed, glaring at him.

"Send Tails out, would you? I'm hungry."

"How'd you even get in here?"

"None of your business!"

Ava thanked the heavens that she was able to keep her cool around him. If he ever found out she had a crush on him, he and his friends would have a field day reveling in her humiliation.

Landon rolled his eyes. He stalked off without giving her some kind of confirmation about sending Tails. Would he actually listen to her? Or would she have to run from the boys' dorm's security again?

A few minutes later, her friend emerged from down the hall. Ava jumped to her feet, beaming at him. Tails looked just as distracted as Landon had been. She chose not to question it, not yet.

"Hi," she greeted with a smile.

"Hey," he replied. "Dinnertime, right?"

"Uh-huh. I think they're serving chili dogs!"

"I heard they were serving salads."

"If you're a health nut then sure, you can have a salad."

Tails looked at her and laughed. He already seemed more relaxed than he had moments earlier. Ava gave herself a mental pat on the back.

When they pushed open the doors and descended down the stairs, a light snowfall flurried over them.

Tails sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. They picked up their pace, hoping to get out of the cold quicker. Tails said, "I've gotten used to this for the most part, but I really miss the beaches back home."

Ava smiled, eyes shining with excitement. "I want to see a beach one day. I mean, I've seen pictures, but I heard the real thing is so much better."

Tails nodded. "Yeah, it is. The sand is soft and warm. We've had dozens of picnics and volleyball games on it. Oh, and the ocean is so pretty! It's usually pretty cold, but so clear and blue."

"I wish I could see it," she sighed.

Tails smiled at her. "I'll take you to see one," he promised.

Ava looked over at him, mirroring his smile. Something on his arm made her stop and catch his wrist.

"What's that?" she demanded.

He followed her gaze to the missing spot of fur and scorched skin beneath. Tails pulled his arm away and sighed, "That is a chemistry incident."

"Not self-inflicted, I'm guessing."

"No."

Ava scowled. She wouldn't dare confront Blaine face-to-face, but she could easily trap him in a bundle of tree roots the next day until he begged for help.

Don't judge.

"It wasn't Blaine."

Ava blinked. "What? Who was it?"

"Brody."

Oh. _Oh_. He wasn't someone Ava was afraid of. She was already making plans to drown him in mud pies.

They were nearing the mess hall then. Ava and Tails took the stairs two at a time as the snow picked up.

"I can understand wanting to avoid Blaine," she began, opening the door for Tails, "but not _Brody_. That guy's a dork."

"Maybe, but he's a seventh grader." Tails sighed as the warm air hit them. "I can't just stand up against a seventh grader."

"You also can't just beat a seventh grader in a mathematical speed round, but you did that."

Tails shook his head. "I don't do that anymore."

"What!? Since when?

"Since he started _burning me_ ," he hissed, shoving his injured arm at her.

They jumped in line behind a few eighth grader girls talking about a boy in their class. Tails leaned against the wall while Ava crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at a table in the back. The table was occupied by Brody, Mason, and more of their friends.

"You know you can get him back, right?" she said, looking back at Tails. "You have a power for a reason, dummy!"

"What am I supposed to do? Mess his hair up?" Tails sighed. "Just let it go, Ava."

They slipped through the line in silence. Tails grabbed a chili dog and a bag of chips. Ava grabbed two chili dogs and snickered at the complaints behind her. The duo found a table in the back right corner. Ava wanted to sit behind everyone so she could watch. She loved to watch people.

"I think Landon was right," Tails said after a moment of silence. Ava looked at him.

"About what?"

"About changing myself. These past few weeks have been hard. Maybe it _would_ be easier if I acted less like myself."

Ava frowned. She didn't want to hear him say that. In fact, she was rooting for him to stay true to himself and teach those bullies a lesson.

Unfortunately though, no one was unbeatable.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Maybe I should act like my brother Sonic. Everybody loves him!"

"What's so great about him?"

Tails' face lit up. "He's _awesome_! He can run faster than the speed of sound."

"What?" Ava scoffed. "No way. Impossible!"

"No, really! And he's always saving and helping people. He's saved the world a few times."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I lost count of how many times." Tails laughed. "Sonic does his own thing, too. He hates when adults tell him what to do!"

Ava smiled. "I think I can relate. I, too, am rebellious."

Tails snorted. "What?"

"I am!"

"Yeah, okay."

Ava nudged him and giggled. "Shut it. Anyways, what's your plan? Are you gonna be defiant and rebellious now?"

Tails shrugged. "I think I'm gonna try."

"Cool," Ava smiled.

Their conversation drifted from one topic to another. They were random and didn't last long, but the pair was laughing and enjoying the other's company. Ava couldn't remember the last time she had this much fun with a friend. It was nice.

Then, Tails fell silent as he finished his chili dog. He seemed distracted by something as he gazed around the cafeteria. Ava reached a hand over and tried snagging a few of his chips, but he smacked her hand away without even looking.

"How'd you know I was doing that?"

"My peripheral vision is 20/20."

Ava scoffed when he smiled at her. "So," she said, picking up her second chili dog, "what're you thinking about?"

Tails seemed conflicted for a moment. He opened his mouth and closed it again. Ava watched curiously. It was always so interesting watching people have internal battles. It seemed whatever they were thinking was splattered across the facial expressions that changed every second. The sight was intriguing.

Finally, Tails asked, "Have you ever noticed anything weird around campus? Or around the teachers?"

Ava swallowed. She had to sit back in her chair and think a moment. Of course she had noticed weird things. She'd been noticing them for years. The teachers were a whole variety of strange and different, but Ava liked that about them. The only ones who have ever been off to Ava were Lorelei, Dr. D, and Mr. Aires.

They had always given off a secretive sort of vibe. It was never Ava's place to ask, though. If she ever tried bringing it up to Lorelei, the headmistress would change the subject.

"Um… There are rumors that one of the girls' buildings is haunted. I saw Mr. Aires talking to nothing once. You mean stuff like that?"

Tails chewed on his lip. "Er, yeah. Yeah, stuff like that."

They finished their dinners is silence after that, too absorbed in their own thoughts. Ava glanced at him once in a while. She tried figuring him out. She knew that wasn't what he was talking about. Was he getting suspicious? If so, what was he getting suspicious about?

Tails looked at her when Ava turned away. She was lying, he knew it. There was something about her hesitation that made him uneasy. Why didn't she tell him the truth? What was she trying to hide?

After dinner, they went their separate ways. Ava made up an excuse to run to the bathroom and Tails decided to go on ahead.

She watched him disappear out the front doors, mind swimming with thoughts.

•••••

Ava sat at Lorelei's computer later that night. She typed in Sonic the Hedgehog and was amazed at the thousands of results she received in only seconds.

Nearly every article was dedicated to how Sonic the Hedgehog saved a village or a city or the world— _again_. That was actually one of the headlines: Sonic the Hedgehog Saves World—Again!

Ava tapped through the image results. Most were of Sonic himself over the years ranging from a short, round blue kid with little quills to a tall, lean teenager with longer quills. A few were accompanied by a red echidna and others with a little brown fox. Ava slowed her search as more pictures featured that little fox.

It must be Tails, she realized.

She found one picture with Sonic, Tails, the echidna, and a whole crowd of others celebrating. The background is filled with smoke and fire. Ava noticed the animals in the picture were covered in ash and looked pretty beaten. Her breath hitched at the caption:

" **Hero Sonic the Hedgehog celebrates another win against the Eggman Empire with friends** "

 _Eggman?_

"What are you doing?"

Ava shrieked. She slipped out of her chair and crashed to the floor. Cracking an eye open, she gazed at an upside Lorelei, who glared in return.

"I was just-"

"Sonic the Hedgehog," she read, leaning over the back of the chair. "Why are you searching him?"

Ava rolled over and sat up. She rubbed her neck and groaned at the idea of it hurting in the morning.

"I wanted to know what the big deal was. Tails talks about him all the time."

As Lorelei exited off the browser, Ava climbed to her feet. She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "You know, Eggman is apparently Sonic's enemy or something. That wouldn't happen to be the same Eggman you went to see, would it?"

Of course, Ava knew it was the same guy. How many people were named Eggman in the world? Still, she wanted to see what Lorelei would say.

Lorelei narrowed her eyes. "That is none of your business. Why don't you tell me what Tails has been saying?"

"Why don't you tell me who this guy is? Why are you friends with a villain? He's trying to destroy the world!"

"Let me rephrase myself," Lorelei said, taking a step forward. Her voice was tight and threatening. Ava took a step back, shoulders slumping as the woman towered over her. Lorelei ordered, "Tell me what Tails has been saying."

"Why?" Ava spat. She still had some kind of courage to keep the interrogation going, but the harsh gleam in Lorelei's eyes was admittedly making her waver. "What's so special about Tails? Why do you want me to spy on him?"

 _Once the door shut, Lorelei turned to Ava. The sixth grader watched curiously, if not a bit tiredly. She really just wanted to go back to her dorm and sleep. Lorelei made a mental note to make the meeting quick._

 _"A new boy has just arrived on campus. His name is Tails, do you remember asking about him?"_

 _"Yeah," Ava answered quietly. She remembered the threat that followed the questions._

 _Lorelei smiled. "I believe this boy is special and he can help us tremendously. However, he may need some persuading to get him to our side. I will deal with that, but I want you to watch him, okay?"_

 _"Watch him?" Ava repeated, confused._

 _"Yes." Lorelei licked her lips and smiled. "He's arriving to a new school and he doesn't know anyone. Be his friend! I want him to feel comfortable here. And if he has any questions, report them to me and I'll personally take care of it."_

 _Ava smiled. "Okay!"_

"If only you knew what I'm trying to accomplish," Lorelei muttered. She grabbed Ava's wrist and pulled the girl down the hall.

"Let me go! Why won't you answer my questions?! What are you hiding?!"

Lorelei stopped just next to the couch. She smiled at the kit affectionately, condescendingly.

"Dear," she whispered, raising a hand to Ava's face.

"No," Ava cried. "No, no, no." She squirmed in Lorelei's grip, jerking her body any way she can in hopes of loosening the hold. Ava desperately reached for something, anything with her powers. There was no connection in the small room, nothing for Ava to latch onto.

Purple lightning cackled over Lorelei's fingertips.

"Let me go!" Ava screamed. "Get away from me!" Tears pricked her eyes and dribbled down her cheeks. "I'll be good, I promise. Please Lorelei, please!"

Lorelei took a deep breath. She pressed her fingers to Ava's face and smiled at the lightning flashing through the girl's eyes.

Ava fell limp in Lorelei's arms. The headmistress lowered the girl to the couch and pulled a blanket over her.

"I wish you didn't make me do that so much," Lorelei sighed.

A second later, Ava woke again. She blinked and gazed around, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"How'd I get here?" she asked. "Lorelei? I thought you were going on a trip?"

Lorelei knelt next to the girl. "I did, sweetheart. I got back a while ago. Don't you remember? You said you were sick and stayed up here all day. How are you feeling?"

Ava pushed herself up. "I, uh, my head hurts. I don't… I don't remember talking to you."

"You're dazed and sickly, honey. Lay back down, I'll grab a blanket."

"No." Ava waved her off. She climbed to her feet slowly, grabbing at her neck. Why did it hurt? "I'm feeling better. I'm gonna head back to my dorm."

"You can't walk back to your dorm in this state!"

"Well, you can't keep me here," Ava snapped. She didn't look back at Lorelei because they both knew the headmistress very well _could_ keep Ava there, against her will, if Lorelei really wanted to. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Lorelei didn't try to stop her again.

•••••

Ava's roommate was asleep when she returned. Quietly, Ava grabbed the small flashlight from her desk and climbed on her bed. There was a calendar pinned over her bed with a pen attached to a string hanging next to it.

Ava clicked the flashlight on and stuck the end in her mouth. She crossed an X over the date, November 5th. She flipped the flashlight off and tossed it back on her desk. Then, she crawled under her covers and turned to the wall.

That day marked the third time in nine months she couldn't remember anything that happened. A tear slipped down her face. Ava wanted to know what was happening. Why was she suffering from memory loss? Why was it random? She couldn't figure it out.

She fell asleep not long after. Whatever happened had her exhausted; she only last a few minutes before she slipped into another deep sleep.

•••••

Lorelei sat at her desk. She looked at the large calendar laying across her desk. Lorelei circled the 7th, a Wednesday.

"It's time," she hummed, scribbling her plans on a piece of paper. She smiled. "It's time to find the one who will lead us."


	8. The Announcement

The bell rang for first period and Tails was not in his seat.

Instead he lingered in the hall and around the corner, watching the clock. Five minutes late, he decided. He would be five minutes late to class to kick off his rebellious streak. To some, that is no big deal. To Tails, it was a rule being broken. He rocked on his heels, anxiously glanced to the left and right. He was no rule breaker, at least not when it came to normal things like school (he'd gladly break some rules to bust some bad guys, but that's a different story).

Tails watched the digital clock on the wall and counted the seconds in his head. It was an agonizingly slow process.

He gave in after two minutes. Waiting around was boring, and he longed to know what lesson he was missing out on.

At least when he arrived to class, he was three minutes late. Close enough, right?

The door opened quietly. Tails took two steps into the doorway and froze; every pair of eyes settled on him.

Mrs. Tracie was in the middle of explaining something when she realized she'd lost her class' attention. Tails smiled sheepishly at her, one of his tails curling around his side.

"Tails, you're late," she said, crossing her arms. "Why?"

"I, um… I just didn't want to show up." Tails combed his fingers through his tail, meeting his teacher's eye. She stared back, gaze hard.

Don't look away first, don't look away first…

Tails looked away. "Sorry, ma'am."

"Just don't let it happen again. Take a seat."

As he walked to his seat, his cheeks burned. His attempt at rebelling had already failed majorly. The teacher didn't look the least bit unpleased, just maybe a little concerned. The whole exchange was already making Tails nervous and he wished he could erase it from his mind. How was he supposed to act like Sonic when the idea of getting in trouble scared him?

"As I was saying," Mrs. Tracie continued, "you will be in groups of four. Choose a significant point in history and create a presentation to share with the class. I'm going to pick the groups," she added quickly, eyeing the kids already turning to find their friends. She snickered.

"Keep quiet as I read the names off. I don't want to hear any complaints! These groups are set and not changing."  
As she turned to her desk, a wad of paper bit the back of Tails' head. He clenched his jaw, heart sinking.

"Psst!" someone whispered. "Tails!" That voice was a lot closer than Tails had been anticipating. Also, it was a higher pitch?

"Tails!" the person hissed, chucking another ball of paper.

"What?" Tails replied, twisting in his chair. It was Ava. She leaned over her desk, its back legs rising off the floor. A girl beside her watched the desk and wondered with pursed lips if it would tip.

"Why did you-"

"Avaleigh!" Mrs. Tracie snapped. Ava lurched forward, gasping as the chair fell with her. If her feet hadn't been planted on the group, she would have smacked her face into the back of the seat in front of her.

Mrs. Tracie raised an eyebrow. "Chair. Down. Now."

The desk dropped with a loud thud. Ava smiled as a few classmates giggled.

"What is with you guys today," Mrs. Tracie muttered as she stood in front of the class again. "Alright! The first group will be Betty, Anthony, Rotor, and Julian."

To Mrs. Tracie's delight, there weren't many groans of protest.

"Next group is Tails, Ava, Blaine, and Charles."

That earned a loud sigh. Tails turned, expecting to see Blaine glaring back at him. Ava twisted around, too. Blaine did meet Tails' gaze, but he didn't look annoyed. Tired, maybe.

Ava found the real culprit. "What're you complaining about, Charles?"

"You," he said. "You're crazy!"

"Oh, _oh_ , you really think so? Just wait till I get back there."

Mrs. Tracie may have looked a bit uncertain as she watched the two interact. Still, she stuck to her guns. "Please get in your groups after I've paired you up!"

In the back of the room, Blaine hissed, "Charles. Come over here." He only knew the kid 'cause Blaine and his friends stole Charles' bag yesterday. It was hilarious.

"Why, why?" Charles stuttered, walking over. If he had his bag, he'd be hugging it to his chest like it were his lifeline.

"Because I don't want to move to them."

"Oh right, right."

Charles was deceiving in looks. He was tall and large, much like Blaine. The difference was Blaine's stature was all muscle while Charles' was fat. Pure fat. And because of that, he also lacked the confidence Blaine had been expecting.

Charles was kind of a let down for Blaine.

Ava and Tails joined the others hesitantly. They exchanged looks a few times, contemplating running in the other direction. Charles fixed all the desks to fit around Blaine then meekly sat across from him.

Tails decided to brave the evil and take the chair in front of Blaine. He wanted himself to look like he didn't care, that he wasn't afraid of the bully. _Fake it until you make it,_ Tails once heard someone say. He was faking bravery when inside he was having a heart attack.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Ava and Tails seemed to have a conversation with their eyes. Charles slumped in his chair, eyeing the clock and praying for the class to end.

"So what were you saying about me being crazy?" Ava asked, leaning forward and glaring at Charles.

"I don't feel comfortable being in a group with a girl who tried to break into the kitchen last month."

"I wanted brownies!"

"It took three members of the staff to finally stop you!"

"They wouldn't _let_ me have any."

Charles shook his head. He covered his mouth with his hand and whispered to Tails, "Our group is half crazy."

"You're an idiot, Charles," Blaine sighed, shaking his head. "If you're going to talk shit, at least learn how to whisper. Damn outsider."

Tails frowned. "Outsider? What's that mean?"

Ava threw a glare at Charles then looked to Tails. Blaine beat her to it, "You're an outsider, dipshit. Outsiders are people from outside the island. And people call _me_ an idiot."

Tails wondered who in their right mind would call _Blaine Indigo_ an idiot. He didn't even know Blaine's type or what he's capable of, and Tails was terrified of him.

"So, where are you from?" Tails asked Charles. "Maybe I've heard of it."

Charles shrugged. "I can't remember. I guess I've been here too long."

"Have you been here a few years?"

"No. I only got here a three months ago. I don't know what happened. The memory was just there one day and gone the next."

That… didn't make much sense? Tails scrunched his nose. You don't just forget your home, especially not at their age.

Ava suddenly gasped. She threw a hand over her mouth and her eyes opened to the size of golfballs.

"What? What?!" Charles exclaimed.

"It's almost time for…" She looked over; all three boys stared at her. "For, for, for my… My math test next period. Yeah, uh, super hard. May not pass. I'm nervous."

Blaine narrowed his eyes. "We don't have a math test next period."

"Then I'm nervous for my _other_ math test in my _other_ class period."

"You're probably the worst liar I've seen."

Ava sighed. "Yeah, I know."

Charles groaned. "This is why I didn't want to be a group with you people. We've sat here three minutes and haven't even figured out what we're going to do our presentation on!"

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Such a dork," he breathed, shaking his head.

"Hey, don't call him a dork," Tails argued.

" _What_?" Blaine hissed.

Tails bit his tongue. "Call him, er, call him a… Uh, a loser instead?"

For a moment, Blaine just stared at him. Tails stared right back. He's faced dozens of bad guys in his life. He's stared down the Ivo Eggman (though granted, it was during a pie eating contest in the village and Eggman was trying to cheat, but still). He should be able to hold the gaze of a kid his age.

Blaine's eyes were black. Like, pitch black. There wasn't an ounce of light in those orbs. It felt like staring into a blackhole and if he didn't look away soon, Tails would be sucked in.

So, he may have looked away (again, ugh. He's gotta work on his staring skills). And his cheeks may have burned as he stared at the desk because _what was he doing?_ Trying to challenge the school bully? Show him up? They were all terrible ideas. Tails was trying to blend in and stop the bullying, not increase it.

"That was pathetic," Blaine said. " _You're_ a loser."

Tails was saved from whatever thoughts flooded his head after that statement by the intercoms crackling to life.

"Teachers and students," Lorelei began, silencing the class, "I believe the time has finally come to expand our horizons and venture outside the island."

An eager buzz sparked in the classroom, peers turning to whisper eagerly about what it could mean. Mrs. Tracie waved her hands at the kids, shushing them.

"To ensure absolute safety for our people, I will choose one of you to join me on a trip to the mainland. You will have the responsibility of leading your kind to a new world."

Tails frowned. He glanced at the com on his wrist and thought back to that conversation with Sonic. Could this be what they'd overheard? Leading a revolution to the mainland? It didn't sound as bad as he was expecting.

"Beginning Wednesday, grades seventh through twelfth will be tested in both knowledge and ability."

"What?!" someone complained.

"Not fair!" another whined.

"You are not required to participate, but I highly recommend it. By doing so, you are helping this island accomplish something great. The knowledge assessment will commence Wednesday and the ability assessment on Thursday. I will choose the winner Friday. Good luck to you all!"

Slowly, the classroom descended into chatter again. Tails looked over at Ava. Did she know about this? He was sure by then that she knew more than she was letting on. However, she looked just as confused and surprised as everyone else.

"A day to prepare?" Charles asked. "Is that even fair?"

"We're supposed to be elite," Ava shrugged. "A day is plenty, I guess."  
The intercom came to life again and a male voice announced, "Blaine Indigo to the office, please. Blaine Indigo to the office."

Blaine sighed, muttering under his breath. He grabbed his bag and left without another word.

Charles slumped in his chair and sighed. "Does anyone else feel like they can breathe better when he's not around? Just me?"

"I wonder if it has anything to do with the Indigo clan," Ava said, scratching her ear.

"What's the Indigo clan?" Tails asked.

"It's a gang," Charles explained bluntly.

Ava made a face. "It's not a… Well, yeah, I guess it is kinda a gang. It's led by Blaine's mom and made up of a select few of the island's _yako_."

"What's a _yako_?"

"A _yako_ is what we call evil foxes. There aren't very many and I'm pretty sure they're all in the Indigo clan," Ava said.

"Yeah," Charles added, "and a _zenko_ is what we call good foxes."

Ava added, "Then there's the _ninko_ … But I don't think they actually exist. Legend has it, the _ninko_ are invisible fox spirits who can possess other creatures. Of course, that's just an old scary story."

Tails rubbed his nose. "Interesting. So what type is Blaine?"

Charles' face darkened. "He's a Void—the darkest type of all."

"He's the only one in the school," Ava said.

"That's why everyone's so scared of him!" Tails realized.

"Exactly," Ava and Charles confirmed in unison.

Mrs. Tracie clapped her hands. "That's enough, get back to work now."

Tails, Charles, and Ava looked at each other.

Ava tapped the end of her pencil against the desk. "So," she repeated, "ideas?"

•••••

Vice Headmistress Sara welcomed Blaine with a warm smile.

"Hiya Blaine, how's it going?" she greeted. "Cookie?" She pushed a plate of sugar cookies across her desk. "They're gluten free!"

Blaine took a seat across from hr. He grabbed a cookie and tore a bite off. It was great, but he kept his face neutral.

"Why am I here?" he asked, cookie crumbs falling from his mouth.

"Headmistress Lorelei has chosen you to participate in the search for our leader. She believes you have the potential to win."

Blaine chewed for a moment, thinking. "Why?" he asked. He'd been there for a few months and the only interaction he's received from the administration was that first day when they gave him his schedule.

"You are one of the most powerful in your class."

" _The_ most powerful, probably," he muttered. Hey if you've got it, flaunt it. Louder, he said, "You want a member of the Indigo clan leading your… Whatever it is? Voyage?"

"She wouldn't have called for you if she didn't."

Blaine narrowed his eyes. "My grades are shit."

"Language!" she snapped.

He shrugged, unapologetic.

"Lorelei wants the strongest student. Intelligence is a bonus of course, but only the strong will survive outside these walls."

"You want me for my brawn? "

"Basically, yes."

He pursed his lips and grabbed more cookies. "No thanks," he refused, rising to his feet.

"Wha-What?" Sara stuttered. She jumped from her chair and hurried around her desk. "Do you have any idea what you're passing up on? Freedom, adventure, escape from your family!"

Blaine turned to her. A dark haze fell over his eyes and he growled, " _Don't_ talk about my family."

On the desk behind her, Sara's coffee began to rise from its mug. The brown liquid clumped into a ball a few feet above the cup. Near the window, a set of books toppled off the shelf and hovered in mid air.

Sara stumbled back, gasping as she looked around her office. Objects floated through the air peacefully as though the room lost its gravity.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean anything by it… Just stop what you're doing, please."  
Blaine's mother's voice burned in his head. " _Don't stop until they cower in fear_ ," she had said one evening before robbing a home of everything inside.

He closed his eyes and sighed. The objects crashed to the floor in unison, and everything was still once more.

"Thank you. If you change your mind," Sara said, meeting the kid's eye once more, "my door is always open." There was something different about her voice. It lacked the confidence and overeagerness that greeted him at the beginning of the meeting.

"Good to know," he hissed, spinning on his heel. He stormed out, slamming the door shut behind him.

Blaine's family was a rough spot for him. What Sara mentioned about escaping his family angered him not only because she was an outsider talking about something she knew nothing about, but also because she was right. He hated to admit it, but Blaine really _did_ want to escape his family. He wanted to escape everything about the Indigo clan: the name, the reputation, the expectations, etc.

He didn't like the way people stared at him as he walked through town before he's even given them a reason to be scared. Blaine is cursed with the resemblance of an Indigo, and that is enough to strike fear into the hearts of many.

However, he couldn't just turn his back on his family. They were everything he had. You can't escape family, as his mom Katelynn often taught him. And he loved them, really. He loved learning and bonding and being with them. His mom, his brothers, his aunt… They're the only ones who understand him. They're the only ones who aren't afraid of him. Blaine could be himself around them.

Blaine stopped in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder at Sara's closed door. There was no guarantee he'd even win the competition. Blaine didn't want to compete and then lose; it would look terrible for his reputation. Still, he was attracted to the idea. What if he _did_ win? What if he could really break through the border and see what's on the other side? What if he could be someone else in a world where nobody knew his name?

He turned around. Blaine narrowed his eyes, watching the door. He was hesitant and unsure. Most of all though, he was tempted.

•••••

"Alright guys," the Spirit type teacher Alma announced, "since you all have a very important abilities assessment in a few days, I want to refresh you on the idea of healing. Being a healer is an important job and could be extremely helpful in how you rank Thursday. Do I have any volunteers?"

A girl with golden fur jumped to her feet and eagerly raced to the front of the class. Alma beamed as she sat a box covered with a cloth on the desk. The class leaned forward with anticipation as Alma revealed what was inside.

Landon sat up in his chair. "What is it?"

Alma gently scooped the creature in her arms. "This is called a Chao," she explained, laying it on the desk. "Generally, they tend to stay in areas with clean water. I know there's a natural spring at the top of the mountain, but I don't know how it got all the way down here. Anyways, I'm hoping to heal its injuries and return it home by this evening."

The volunteer was nervous. "I don't wanna hurt it, miss."

"You won't hurt it Ariel," Alma reassured. "You're the best healer in this class."

"Hey!" someone complained.

" _Rude_."

"I'm only joking!" Alma said, waving her arms. "Well, kind of. She's the most _enthusiastic_ healer, how about that?"

Brody leaned over the side of his desk to tell Landon, "Of course she is. She's a _girl_ , after all." A few guys surrounding them snickered and laughed.

"Not all girls are healers, dude," Landon sighed, glancing at his friend.

"Yeah, but a lot of them are."

Alma cleared her throat. "Healers are talented individuals who are both compassionate and strong. It's not something every Spirit type can do and you'd be smart to respect them, Brody."

Brody nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah, I know. My mom's a healer. I just mean that it's mostly a woman's talent, right? The men are on the battlefield and the women are inside, _healing_."

Ariel growled, "They're saving lives."

Brody shrugged, unimpressed.

Alma snapped her fingers. "Ariel, it's time ignore him. I need you to focus on this Chao."

"Right," Ariel said, shaking her head. She turned her attention to the small blue creature on the table.

"In order to heal someone else, you must focus all of your energy into that person. _That_ is why this ability is so difficult. Only the strongest can summon enough power to heal an injury and still have enough left over for yourself," Alma explained.

Ariel's hands hovered over a bloody wound slashed over the creature's chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fingertips began to glow a light yellow and it deepened in seconds to match her fur.

"You are willing the patient's nerves to rebuild and the skin cells to multiply to close the wound," Alma continued, watching her student carefully. "It's not an easy task. Remember to take deep breaths and breaks if you need them—you don't want to tire yourself out, especially if you're their only hope."

Ariel took a step back, dropping her hands to her as she sighed. A few inches of the bottom of the cut was closed up now, but it was insignificant compared to how much of the wound was still open.

"Great work Ariel," Alma praised. "Anybody else want to try? Landon?"

Brody snorted and Landon rolled his eyes.

"No thanks," Landon said, shaking his head.

"Well, alright. Ariel, take a seat. I'll finish it from here."

Ariel sighed again and returned to her seat, deflated. She was disappointed that she couldn't accomplish more.

Landon rubbed his eye. He had a lot of respect for healers, really. When he was young and cut his foot on a rusty can, a healer fixed him up and cured the infection before it even manifested completely. Landon admired their work and dedication. Healers are selfless and brave, two things Landon was not.

Living on his own meant the only person he had to worry about was himself. He wouldn't know the first thing about taking care of others.

Alma's hands hovered over the creature. A golden light poured form her fingertips and engulfed the Chao. The class watched in awe as the chest wound sealed shut in seconds.

The light disappeared. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the Chao's eyes fluttered open. It hummed dreamily and slowly lifted from the table. The students gasped and whispered at the sight. Alma's eyes shone with glee.

Landon smiled.

"It's so cute!" a guy exclaimed.

"Can we keep it?" a girl asked.

"Class pet!"

That earned a round of cheers. Alma laughed, shaking her head.

"Although I would love it to stay with us, its home is in the mountains."

Brody turned to Landon, apparently uninterested in the tiny creature. "So you're taking the test tomorrow, right?"  
Landon shook his head. "No, I…" He glanced at the Chao behind Brody and caught the creature's eye. It hummed happily. Landon looked away, scrunching his eyebrows. "Uh, no, I don't want to."

"What? Dude, c'mon. This is your chance to be king! Or _my_ chance, which is probably more accurate, but you've at least got a shot. You're not even gonna try?"

"Nah. Being king isn't really my thing."

Brody shrugged. "Your loss, dude."

The Chao chirped, fluttering its wings and twirling in the air. It beamed at Landon, who avoided its gaze.

 _Why is it staring at me? That things a freak_ , he thought.

The bell rang. As the students were leaving, Alma called, "Good luck to everyone participating! And to those aren't, I'll see you tomorrow."

Landon grabbed his stuff and was one of the first out the door. He could still feel the Chao's gaze on his back.

•••••

Lorelei strolled through the courtyard, smiling. She had taken the form of her fox side, embracing the silver fur that nearly blended into the light snowfall. Students passed and she waved, greeting them. She asked how their day was going, what they were learning in class, if they were participating in the competition.

She loved her students a lot. They were the whole reason she was searching for someone to lead them. Lorelei wouldn't be around much longer and the one to take her place requested a pupil from the school, a newcomer still learning their He comes, Lorelei's confident her students will rejoice. She's disappointed she won't be around to see the new era, but she's excited nonetheless.

Tails was walking toward her. He appeared to be immersed in a conversation, wrist to his mouth and eyebrows scrunched together. Tails glanced around the courtyard absently and stumbled over his feet when he caught Lorelei's eye.

"Good afternoon, Tails," she greeted.

He lowered his wrist and nodded at her. "Afternoon," he said as he passed. Tails wasn't about to stop and talk to her, not when _she_ was the topic of his conversation with Sonic.

They made eye contact as they passed. Lorelei was tempted to reach out and confront him. She'd been tempted since yesterday, when Ava began asking questions. Tails was getting suspicious, she was sure of it.

With a light hum, Lorelei pushed her sleeve back and revealed her own communicator on her wrist. She pressed a button and turned to the north. In the distance, the tall outline of a tower stared back at her.

"Guardians, listen up. I believe there is a traitor in our midsts. Be on high alert at all times and if you discover anything suspicious…"

She turned toward the two tailed kit rushing to his dorm, anxious to be in the safety of his room.

Lorelei clenched her jaw.

"… Kill it."

* * *

Hi! I'm super sorry this was so late! I'm in my last stretch of high school (27 days O.O).. so things are hectic. Also, I watched _Infinity War_ a few days ago and that movie wrecked my entire existence and I've been trying to recover xD :'( Umm.. Since this month is full of senior stuff and graduation, I don't know how quickly I can get the next chapter up. It should be quicker than this though because I've already got the outline for it.

Remember how I said I'm new to the Sonic universe? Well I've tried doing my research and I don't think I've gotten a straight answer, so could you guys help me out?

Who leads Mobius? Is it a president? Or is Queen Aleena from Sonic Underground canon? I need this info for the next chapter, haha. Thanks in advance!

Hope you enjoyed! Leave me a review of your thoughts :D


	9. The Breakfast Club

Tails awoke with a start. Something had a firm grip on his shoulder and his mouth, muffling the kit's cries for help.

"Shh, Tails!" the voice whispered desperately.

Tails waved a hand frantically and a bag laying on the table flew across the room.

A light flipped on and the pressure was gone. Tails sat up, gasping. He twisted and stared at the intruder pinned against the door. Landon stood in front of the attacker, a single finger inches from their neck. Landon's eyes shone an electric blue that matched the glow outlining his fingers.

"Who are you?" he growled, narrowing his eyes.

The intruder grabbed their throat. They coughed and gasped, sputtering incoherent words. Tails watched Landon wearily. He opened his mouth to suggest his roommate back off when the intruder spoke.

"A… Ava… Ava."

The boys exchanged looks of surprise. Landon released the girl and took a step back. Ava slumped against the door, leaning on her knees as she regained control of her breathing. Tails stepped forward, grabbing Ava's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked, eyes wide with concern.

"Sorry," Landon mumbled. He shuffled back a few feet, sheepish and embarrassed.

"It's okay; I'm fine," Ava responded. She pushed past them and fought the urge to smile at _Landon Prescott_ apologizing to _her_! She never thought she'd see the day.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

Ava was sheepish. "Uh, I was wondering if you wanted to come to the kitchen with me. I wanna make muffins."

Landon stared. "You mean you broke into our room at-" He looked at the clock on his desk. "-at five in the morning just to cook and gossip? I take back my apology."

"The invitation was for Tails," Ava argued. "We have a day off today and I don't know, I'm craving muffins."

Tails pursed his lips. "I'm persuaded; let's go."

"Seriously?" Landon asked, switching his disbelief to his roommate.

"You can come with us if you want," Ava offered without even really thinking. She got like that sometimes, being in close proximity like they were in that moment. After she suggested it, she immediately felt stupid. Why would he want to hangout with them? A seventh grader with sixth graders? He's way too cool for them.

Landon studied her face, hesitant. He could hear her heart beating quicker than normal. What's her deal? "Uh, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Ava confirmed, nodding slowly. _Why is he asking me that? Unless he…_ Her eyes widened. Spirit types can hear heartbeats. _HE CAN HEAR MY HEARTBEAT. OMG. This is what every main character in YA novels fear!_

Stuttering, Ava continued, "Of-Of course I'm okay! I'm… I'm cool! Like ice. I'm _ice cold_. I…"

The boys stared at her. The color from her cheeks flushed.

"Okay!" she clapped, hurriedly walking to the exit. "Let's get going! Those brownies aren't going to make themselves!" The cool air outside their room was a breath of fresh air. She took two steps down the hall before glancing over her shoulder. A part of her doubted Landon would actually come with them. She was convinced she'd scared him off with whatever _that_ was. ' _I'm ice cold?' What was I thinking?_

To her relief and glee, Landon was right behind Tails, pulling the door shut with a quiet click.

"Ready?" Ava whispered.

Tails smiled. "Lead the way!"

•••••

The kitchen was guarded only by a heavy wooden door located just before the cafeteria entrance. Tails and Landon kept watch as Ava worked on the lock. She pretended to mess with the door for a moment before using her skeleton key.

"Let's go," she whispered, slipping inside.

"How'd you do that?" Landon asked. He and Tails followed close behind and Landon shut the door.

Ava walked to the back of the kitchen and turned on a lantern hanging by the back door. It wasn't gas powered like she had been expecting. Good thing, too. She wasn't a Fire type for a reason.

"I've got mad skills! Okay, so the mix should be over here."

Landon pushed himself on a metal counter. Tails hopped up next to him. They sat in silence for a moment, kicking their legs and listening to Ava rummage through cabinets.

"How'd you do that thing back in the room?" Tails asked. He spoke softly and it was loud enough to fill the kitchen. "I didn't think Spirit types could do that."

Landon explained, "I tapped into the Throat chakra and used it as a physical attack. There are layers in every type's power."

Tails was intrigued. "How'd you learn to do that?"

Landon didn't look at him. "Living on the streets requires some kind of defense."

The younger fox frowned. He began to respond when Ava announced, "I found the muffin mix!"

"Great," Landon yawned.

Ava smiled sheepishly. "You guys wouldn't happen to know how to make this, would you?"

Landon raised an eyebrow. "Just read the box."

Tails pushed off the table. "I can do it."

"You can?" Ava asked, surprised. "I was expecting this to be a learning experience for all of us."

Tails walked behind the table. He tore open the box and dumped the mix into a bowl. "My friend Amy bakes all the time," he explained, walking to the fridge. "When I was younger and Sonic stuck me with her, she taught me a few things."

"Why'd Sonic stick you with her?" Landon asked.

"Who's Sonic?" Ava said, unsure. She racked her brain for information. Had Tails mentioned this Sonic person before? Surely, if Landon knew.

Tails sat a carton of eggs on the table and looked at her. He narrowed his eyes and scrunched his brows. "Sonic the Hedgehog? Save the world like five times or more? I told you about him Monday."

"Oh right, right! Him! I remember him." Ava laughed, averting her eyes to the floor. She scratched her wrist anxiously. Her hunch had been right; she didn't miss school Monday. How could Tails have been with her if she was sick? He couldn't get to the seventh floor, so she must've met him at some point.

Tails narrowed his eyes, confused. She was acting weird again. Was she hiding something? He chose not to comment on it for now and returned to the muffins.

"Um yeah," he continued, opening the egg carton, "I'd have to stay with Amy when Sonic and our friend Knuckles would go and fight bad guys and stuff."

"What kinda bad guys?" Landon asked, curious.

"Mostly Dr. Eggman. He's this evil genius human who is shaped like an egg. His real name is Robotnik, but you know." Tails shrugged, smirking.

Ava's eyes widened. Why does Tails know Eggman? And why is he saying Eggman is a bad guy? Lorelei said she was visiting a friend! Is she really friends with a villain?!

"Your home sounds cool," Landon said. "A lot funner than around here, that's for sure."

Tails shrugged. "Depends on the day. Sometimes we're trying to save a robot civilization in the sky and others we're making chili." He looked toward the stove. "Will someone go turn that on 375?"

Neither of his friends moved. Tails glanced away from the instructions and sighed. "You press the Bake button, then type in the numbers. Geez, I thought you guys were supposed to be elite?"

"We don't have home economic classes," Landon defended as Ava rushed to the stove.

"And I don't know about him, but I was never allowed near the kitchen growing up." Ava leaned over the stove and pressed a few buttons.

Landon shrugged. "I didn't have a kitchen growing up."

Ava rocked back on her heels and glanced at Tails over her shoulder. The pair made eye contact and she knew they both felt something along the lines of pity. That was at least what was running through _her_ mind in that moment. Ava didn't know much about Landon's childhood. Well, she didn't know any. Landon kept to himself for the most part, only ever speaking around his friends. Ava couldn't recall any moment he opened up about his life at home.

Landon glanced between them. "Don't pity me," he snapped. "I don't need it."

"We aren't pitying you," Tails reassured. He turned and searched the drawers for a spoon.

"Yeah," Ava agreed, offering him a smile. He watched her for a moment and looked away, the corners of his lips twitching a bit.

"Well good," he said, crossing his arms over his chest, "because I had enough of that growing up. The townsfolk always looked at me like they felt sorry for me. The bakery always gave me free food which was fine, I guess, but I hated it. I always thought that there was nothing special about me, so why were they staring? Just a kid on the streets, nothing to see here."

Tails finally found a spoon in the last drawer beside the stove. He returned to his bowl of mix and began to stir the contents. "When I was younger," he began, watching the egg yolks blend with the muffin powder, "I was on the streets a lot. I couldn't remember having a family, so I didn't really feel sad or angry. I was just lonely a lot." He shrugged and looked at his friends.

"People are either really kind or really rude to homeless kids. Being homeless was the least of my worry, though." He gestured sheepishly to the twin tails behind him. "If people care if you're homeless, they _really_ care if you've got a birth defect."

Ava shook her head. "That's not a birth defect! It's…" She stumbled, mind blank. It wasn't normal, even in their civilization. Not at his age, at least. That didn't mean it was a defect, though. "It's unique."

Tails sighed. "That's what Sonic says."

"He's right."

"He thinks so, too," Tails joked.

Ava nudged his shoulder. "A kitsune grows another tail after one hundred years of life. That means you're wise beyond your years."

Tails chuckled. "I've heard that before, too."

"Have you heard that you're great at making muffins?"

"… No."

"Well, you are."

"I haven't even made them yet!"

"I don't care!" Ava snickered. "They could be terrible and they'll be better than anything I could ever make. Therefore, you're great at it."

Tails laughed. He lifted the spoon and gently tapped it against the sides of the bowl. Then, handed it to Ava. "Here, try this and tell me if you still believe that."

Landon watched Ava dip her finger in the batter. He watched Tails wait patiently for a reaction, grinning. He watched the interaction altogether with awe. Foxes of their type shouldn't be able to get along so well, yet there they were. The support, the jokes, the reassurance, it was all things he'd never expect to occur between two polar opposites.

Ava licked the batter from her finger. "It's good!" she praised. "Let's hurry and bake them; I'm starving."

"Okay," Tails laughed. "We need to find a pan first."

"On it!"

Landon shook his head as he and Tails watched Ava begin rummaging through the cabinets. The older fox looked at Tails and asked, "How are you two so close?"

Tails looked back at him. "What do you mean? We're friends."

"Yeah, but you're a Wind type and she's an Earth type."

Ava groaned. "Ugh, don't tell me you believe in that phony bologna too." She threw a look of disbelief over her shoulder.

"It's not ph…" Landon furrowed his brows. "' _Phony bologna_ ,' it's simple facts and research. Opposite types are not typically friends. They usually steer clear of each other, actually. You two are just… Odd."

Ava found a muffin pan and walked back to the table. She met Landon's eye and deadpanned, "Thanks Landon, that really puts a smile on my face." He held her gaze and wow, she could really get lost in those gray eyes of his. They're shiny, like silver. _So pretty_.

"No, not like… Actually yeah, that is what I mean. You're a rare pair."

Ava smiled. "I will take pride in that."

"You guys can help with this part," Tails said, drawing the attention back to the cooking. "Find a spoon or something and help me fill the cups."

"Awesome!" Ava cheered, turning and searching for spoons.

Landon kicked off the counter and followed. He watched her with amusement, a tiny smile pulling at his lips. She was less irritating than he originally thought. Don't tell anyone he said that, though.

•••••

At five AM, the muffins were finished and the three had packed them away into bags for later. Ava and Tails cleaned the dishes and returned them to their rightful places. Landon kept a lookout as they slipped out of the kitchen and down the hall.

Tails took a deep breath as they stepped back into the cold morning air. A light snow fall was just beginning as the kids raced down the front steps. The campus was dim and silent. It was eerie, much like walking through a ghost town.

"This place is creepy at night," Ava commented. She gazed at the dorm buildings, tall and wide blocks of darkness gazing down on them.

"Little bit," Landon agreed. He savored the warmth radiating off the muffins and pressed the bag to his chest.

The group split at the entrances of their dorms. Ava waved in a quiet goodbye before jogging to her building. Landon and Tails walked toward the boys' building briskly, eager to escape the cold.

"That was kinda fun," Landon admitted after a few moments, "what we did today. It was interesting." Tails grinned. Landon continued,

"And these muffins look awesome."

"Thanks, hope they taste good," Tails laughed. "You're right though, this _was_ fun. We should do it again."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Landon quickly argued. "My friends still hate Ava and they're not the biggest fans of you."

Tails sighed. He shrugged and pulled open the front door. "It's up to you of course, but I really think you need new friends."

Landon held the door open and watched his roommate carry on to the room. The older chewed on his lip, letting the door shut behind him. There was a nagging feeling in his head, swearing that Tails was right. That he had more fun in the past two hours than he ever had hanging out with Brody and the others. But there was another feeling in his head that warned what breaking from his group would mean. Brody and Mason were the first friends Landon made. He couldn't just leave them like that.

He was a few steps behind Tails walking into the room. Tails sat on his bed, binder on his lap as he unbagged his muffins. Landon climbed on his own bed and followed his roommate's actions.

Tails took one bite into his muffin, chewed, swallowed, and looked at Landon. He sighed, "We didn't grab milk."

•••••

At 8:55, Tails lingered at his locker. Here he was again, going to be late to class. Again. All he had to do was wait five minutes… Again. This time though, he'd _actually_ wait the full five minutes. He declared in his mind as he walked to school that he _would_ win the waiting game. Sonic would be proud of his determination. Maybe not for the reason but, you know, it's the thought that counts.

Tails glanced at the clock again. 8:56. _Ugh_.

"Hey noob!" Blaine called from down the hall. Tails jumped and turned around. _Surely he can't be talking to me, why would he? I'm nobody to him._

Tails, unfortunately, was wrong. Blaine was headed straight for him. The bully smirked at the younger's discomfort.

"What're you doing standing out here like a dork? Shouldn't you be in class, front seat, kissing the teacher's ass?" Blaine asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I, um, I don't want to go to class yet." Tails raised his chin to meet Blaine's eyes. He pressed himself against the locker and held Blaine's gaze. This was another game he swore he'd be better at playing.

However, this game was not something he'd be winning anytime soon. Tails could only withstand Blaine's harsh glare for a solid five seconds before the younger looked away.

"Is that so?" Blaine smirked. "Neither do I. How about we go get into some trouble, hm? Since you're so _cool_ now."

Oh great, he remembered yesterday. Tails was hoping the brute would forget.

"Sure," Tails answered uncertainly. He peeked around Blaine at his classroom, door standing wide open like an arm beckoning him to safety. He could still make it if he wanted. He could fly over Blaine and land in the protection of his teacher and classmates and Ava. _It's right there._

Blaine slung an arm around Tails' shoulders. "Perfect." He had a mischievous grin painted on his lips, one that made Tails nervous.

Anxiously, Tails dragged his fingers over the communicator on his wrist. It wouldn't get him out of trouble, but the idea of talking to one of his friends from back home later made his nerves ease a little bit.

As they walked down the hall, Tails stole one last glance at the classroom. He caught sight of Ava just inside the doorway. She argued with Charles about something. Tails wanted to be in there.

No. Tails took a deep breath. He knew acting more rebellious would potentially draw Blaine's attention. He's fought armies of robots, a band of zetis, Eggman himself. Tails could handle some middle school bully, just like Sonic said.

And if anything went wrong, Tails can fly. Not even Blaine could catch the kit in the air. Tails smiled a little at that reassurance. No matter how things went, he could count on his tails to get him out of trouble. At least that's one thing they're good for.

•••••

Landon stepped into the Spirit type classroom at nine AM. It was empty except for his teacher Alma. She sat on a mat in the center of the room, eyes closed and legs bent over each other. Landon crept in slowly, unsure of what to do because he knew interrupting a meditation was rude, but he needed to talk to her.

"May I help you?" she asked without opening her eyes.

Landon grabbed at the strap of his bag awkwardly. "Morning," he greeted. "I have some questions."

"And I may have some answers. Take a seat, Landon." She opened her eyes and smiled at her student as he tore his bag off and sat in front of her. "What's on your mind?"

"I've heard that Spirit types whose chakras are balanced are the most powerful of their kind. Is that true?"

Alma nodded. "Balanced chakras certainly help in a more concentrated power, but the true strength comes from within."

"So, do you think you could help me balance my chakras?"

"I can, yes, but not if you only seek balance to obtain power." She gave him a stern look. "That's not how this works."

"I know," Landon said. That bit in his room was an accident. The first time he performed such a thing was an accident. He didn't know how it happened, he just honed in on the most vulnerable part and attacked. Landon could've killed Ava. He nearly killed the first guy. Maybe if he got control on his power and learned more about the chakras, attacks like that would never happen again.

Alma continued, "Finding balance is not an easy task, Landon. You will need to dig deep and come to terms with past struggles both internal and external. Are you ready for that?"

He nodded. _How hard can it be?_

"Yes," he confirmed.

Alma smiled and held her hands out. "Wonderful. Let's begin then, shall we?"

Landon stared at her hands for a moment.

 _Inhale, exhale_.

He grabbed her hands.

* * *

Helllllooooooo! I'm baaackk!

I totally didn't intend for the wait to be this long. I thought I could squeeze in time to write these past weeks, but guess not :/ Everything's been crazy. I graduated high school. That's right. YA GIRL IS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

Sorry, got a little excited. Anyway! I'm out for the summer, and I've got _so many_ things coming for this story. So many great, fun, action-packed things. This was kind of a little filler. I didn't mean for the chapter to go this way, actually. It's just that it's three AM and I was anxious to update already!

The next few chapters will be more entertaining and important to the plot. I don't know if it'll be the next chapter, or the one after that, but some big things are gonna happen. Like, Society of the Blind Eye level _big things._ It's crazy. I can't wait for you guys to see. (Also, if you caught that reference, you're awesome and I love you. If you didn't catch that reference, you're still awesome and I still love you).

Also [again] to everyone who responded to the Mobius Queen thing: Thank you bunches! I didn't really think of Sonic Boom as it's own separate little universe. Like, well, I don't really know _what_ I thought… I'm just gonna say it's the government's fault (like everything else amiright hehehe ignore me).

Cleary, I have stayed up too long and am getting a bit slap happy. I will go now; sorry for the _super_ long A/N. Hope you guys have a rocking' day! Don't forget to tell me what you thought in the reviews! :)


	10. Bonnie and Clyde

"Okay, Charles, shut up already!" Ava cried, waving her hands at the boy to silence him. "You're right, it's weird that they're not here, but complaining won't solve anything!"

She leaned back in her chair and huffed, glaring at the empty seats next to them. Where _were_ they? Blaine and Tails missing at the same time… Ava had a bad feeling they were together, and that could never end well.

"I can't help it!" Charles whined. "Our project is due in two days and we haven't even started!" He dragged his fingers down his face. "If I fail because of you idiots, I'll… I'll…"

Ava's eyes jumped to him. "You'll what?" she challenged. What was his power, anyways? She never bothered asking, but now she was curious.

Charles growled. A flame sparked over his fingertips and fell over his hand, lighting his fur ablaze.

"Fire type," Ava said, nodding approvingly, "nice."

"That's what my girlfriend said when I accidentally turned her favorite book to ashes," Charles sighed. "It was more sarcastic than anything, though."

Ava blinked. "You have a _girlfriend_?"

"Yeah, she's a freshman."

"How did you manage to get a high school girlfriend?"

"I don't know," he grinned, "guess she thought I was _hot_ stuff."

Ava couldn't fight back a smile. The joke was so lame, it was _good_.

"I'll go find them," she reassured, jumping to her feet.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?"

Ava shrugged. "Get started on our project, I guess."

As Charles watched the girl slip out of the classroom, he crossed his arms and huffed. Typical group work behavior, he does all the work and the others do nothing. Well, we'll see about that.

He waved his hand through the air. "Mrs. Tracie!"

•••••

Downtown White Valley was bustling with foxes of different colors and number of tails. Shops lined the streets along with small diners and cafes spotted here and there. Tails glanced at Blaine, wondering what they were doing. Were they skipping school to go bowl? It was the only thing to do in town, after all.

"In here," Blaine said, pointing at a shoe store. There was a neon blue sign hanging in the window that said OPEN. The bully pushed through the door and headed straight for the far right shelf. Tails gazed down the isles as he went, looking over the long shelves full of footwear. One little red girl caught Tails' eye as he passed and waved. He smiled and returned the gesture.

"What're we doing?" Tails asked, rounding the corner and watching Blaine scan the shoes.

" _I'm_ getting a new pair of shoes. _You're_ going to stay there and keep quiet." The bully threw a glare at Tails.

"Then what's the point of me being here?" Tails cried.

"Shut it," Blaine snapped. He grabbed a box of black shoes and tucked it under his arm. "Let's go."

"Do you even have money for that?" Tails asked in disbelief.

"Nope."

"You-Wait, are you going to steal that?"

Blaine threw a look over his shoulder, smirking. "You're not as dumb as you look."

Tails frowned. _I look dumb?_ For a moment, his mind was stuck on that statement and not on the fact that Blaine was about to steal a pair of shoes. When Tails realized what had happened, he huffed. Maybe Blaine was't as dumb as _he_ looked.

The bully was nearly out the door when Tails had caught up to him, grabbing his arm to yank him back inside. He was about to confront him, but the cashier beat him to it.

"Um," the man said, pushing his black framed glasses up the bridge of his nose, "you have to pay for that."

Blaine rolled his eyes. He glared at Tails and shoved him away. _I could've been out of here if it weren't for him_ , he thought, irritated.

"No, I don't. I'm going to walk right out that door, and I'm not gonna pay. Deal with it."

"Or, I could call the police and have them deal with _you_."

Blaine smirked. He dropped the box of shoes to the ground and stepped up to the counter. He glanced over his shoulder and met Tails' uneasy gaze.

"This is why I brought you here. If you want to be bad, you have to be _bad_."

Tails didn't like the sound of that. He cautiously stepped forward, trying to figure out how to stop whatever's about to happen.

The whites of Blaine's eyes suddenly flooded with a darkness as black as the void itself. His hands tightened into fists and his jaw clenched. The worker was paralyzed, eyes wide and mouth frozen in a silent scream. At one end of the counter was a cup filled with coupons. It began to hover off the wood and the pieces of paper levitated out of their places, separating and floating across the counter. Above, lights hummed and flickered.

Tails heard a little gasp from behind him. He spun around and stared at the girl from earlier, face twisted in fear as she held onto the hem of her mother's dress. Whatever was about to happen wasn't going to be good. Tails lifted into the air; he needed to get them outside and away from there. As soon as his feet left the ground though, his body was drawn to an unseen force in the other direction. Surprised, Tails looked for the source.

At first, it was easy to miss. The floating black speck behind the worker's head looked nothing more than a bug on the wall. But then that black speck tore a hole in that wall and continued to grow bigger and bigger until that bug was big enough to swallow a jukebox.

Tails crashed into the counter, the edge digging into his back. He groaned and dropped back to the ground. He couldn't get the girl and her mom out quick enough without flying. That worker was in even more danger now. Tails pulled himself to his feet.

The worker gripped his desk with both hands. His feet were slipping. Loose objects laying on the counter were being sucked into the black hole.

"Blaine!" Tails cried. "Stop! Enough already!"

He figured his words were useless. Why would Blaine stop on _his_ behalf?

Surprisingly though, Blaine did just that. The black hole disappeared and everything was still except for whatever didn't get sucked into the void dropping to the floor.

The worker stared at the kids. For a moment, no one said anything. Blaine held the man's gaze, lips pressed into a thin line.

Then, the worker raised a trembling finger and pointed toward the door. "Have… Have a, a good day, kids."

Blaine smiled smugly. "Thank you. C'mon, newbie." He walked around the counter, grabbed his shoes, and strolled out the door.

Tails opened and closed his mouth, searching for something to say to this worker who Blaine just probably scarred for life. There were no words, though. His face fell and he rushed out, the guilt heavy in his stomach.

Blaine was waiting for him, surprisingly. If things were different and Tails hadn't just witnessed a literal black hole form in mid air, he would've dwelled on Blaine waiting patiently a bit more. Instead, he raced forward and shoved Blaine as hard as he could manage. The bully's shoulders swayed to the right, but the shove didn't have as much of an effect as Tails had been hoping.

"What was that?!" Tails yelled. "You could've hurt someone!"

"I wasn't gonna hurt anyone," Blaine scoffed.

"I have a hard time believing that considering hurting people is your favorite past time!"

Blaine pushed off the wall. He towered over the younger falls, dark eyes glaring into fierce blue ones. Tails clenched his fists and glared back, tilting his chin up as he refused to let this guy beat him.

"Maybe you need to be persuaded," Blaine said, cracking his knuckles.

"Nothing you do to me will convince me that what you did in there was right," Tails growled.

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Blaine reassured, but there was an edge in his voice. He was amused, and it made Tails' skin crawl. "I'm just going to share the fun. Is there anything you've been wanting to get your hands on? Maybe a post card so you can say hi to your mommy and daddy?" Blaine snickered. "Ah, never mind. Getting through to the outside world is a lost cause. Don't worry though, pretty soon you'll be as mindless as the rest of the outsiders."

Tails' shoulders faltered. He frowned, squinting at the bully. "What do you mean?"

Blaine shrugged. "I'm from here, so I never went through the adjustment process. All I know is that people come out with no memory of their lives before White Valley."

Tails' chest tightened. Did that mean he'll have to go through it eventually? Wait, Charles mentioned something about losing his memories yesterday. Was that why Ava gasped? Tails looked down. _Does Ava know more than she's leading on?_

"Hey!" Blaine said, shoving Tails' shoulder. "I asked you a question, idiot. Anything you want from a store?"

Tails blinked. Slowly, his eyes raised until he met Blaine's. "Maybe," he answered, looking around, "but I'm not going to steal something."

"How else are you going to get it?"

The younger huffed. Blaine was right, admittedly. Tails didn't have any money. He didn't even know what the currency _was_ on this island. Well to be fair, he didn't know what the currency was on Bygone Island, either. Tails looked pointedly to the right.

"Who're you looking at?"

"Whoever's writing this thing."

"What?"

"Never mind." Tails sighed, meeting Blaine's gaze again. "I don't need the thing bad enough to steal and scare people."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "You're not going to get anywhere in life _asking_ for it. What do you want?"

"Tools," Tails answered because he was beginning to think Blaine dropping the subject was a lost cause. "I haven't invented anything in weeks."

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "You invent stuff?"

"Can you save the teasing for later, please?"

The bully rolled his eyes. "Whatever. There's a hardware store down here." He shoved Tails forward and the pair began walking down the sidewalk.

Every adult they passed stared at the two. Blaine didn't seem to notice, but Tails was faltering under their watchful eye. Did they know the kids were up to no good? Were they going to call the police, get the boys arrested? Tails stared at the snowy path they were trudging through.

"Why's everybody watching us?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I've got a reputation," Blaine answered.

"Cause you're in a gang?"

"Mmhm." The way he agreed so casually chilled Tails. "Helps when you want something. Usually, no one asks questions. I don't know what that idiot shoe guy was doing." He threw a glare over his shoulder.

"Yeah, how dare he try to stop a teenager from stealing a pair of shoes from his store," Tails said, sarcasm heavy as he rolled his eyes.

Blaine reached for a glass door leading into the hardware shop. "Keep talking like that and we won't get these tools."

"I don't want them in the first place!" Tails cried.

"I'm trying to help," Blaine growled, eyes narrowing. He pulled open the door and strolled inside. Tails sighed deeply, trying to prepare himself for whatever was about to happen.

When he stepped into the store, he groaned. There were more people here than in the last shop. As he joined Blaine at the counter, his eyes swept over the isles, wondering how quickly he could get everybody out before Blaine's void attack swallowed the whole lot. What he wouldn't give for Sonic's speed right about now.

Blaine opened his mouth to speak, but the cashier beat him to it.

"Don't hurt me," the woman begged. "Please, take anything you want. I don't need the rest of the Indigo clan destroying my store."

Blaine smiled smugly. Tails wondered if the bully was capable of anything genuine. "Thank you, ma'am."

Tails walked down the first isle, furthest from the door. Nobody was there, thankfully. He couldn't handle being stared at like he was part of the gang himself. Tails scanned the shelves and grabbed basic tools. Tails wanted to grab as little as possible because the guilt was eating away at his insides.

Blaine stepped up beside Tails, looking over the tools as well. "I thought you'd want to go to the library or something, but this is less nerdier."

Tails didn't look at him. "People look at you like they're scared. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Nope; it's more power to me."

"That's a villainous statement if I've ever heard one." He grabbed a flathead screwdriver.

"Weren't you encouraging me yesterday to make fun of that loser Charles? Why are you suddenly against it now?"

Tails sighed. "I was trying to get on your good side so maybe you'd stop picking on me."

"You're just so fun to annoy, though."  
The younger scoffed and rolled his eyes. He reached the end of the isle and paused. What was he trying to invent? As he rounded the corner, his wrist bounced against the corner of a shelf. He ran his fingers over the communicator, feeling for any cracks or scratches. Then, a lightbulb went off in his head.

Although he was still really against what Blaine had done, he may as well take advantage of it, right?

"I know what I want to do," he muttered, taking off to the other end of the store.

•••••

Ava turned her head and squinted as a cold breeze brushed past her. She couldn't find Tails anywhere around the school, so she had to sneak past the front gates and venture into town. It was easier than usual since most of the school was still testing for Lorelei's test. Ava was still annoyed that the woman hadn't let her in on the secret. Testing wasn't a normal thing at White Valley. Usually, there's an entry exam for access to the school, but nothing more. So what's so important that Lorelei has to test every single kid (except for the seventh grade, which also bugged Ava) in the school?

She turned a corner and stepped onto main street, and there he was. Tails walked on the side of the street, plastic black bag hanging from his wrist. Next to him was Blaine, who had an orange box tucked under his arm. They were talking. It was suspicious. Were they hanging out? _Why_ would they be hanging out?

Ava ducked behind a dumpster when the pair crossed the street. She eyed them, hands clenched around the rusty metal. Tails was too good of a guy to be hanging out with Blaine. Maybe it was a hostage situation. She should confront them, but if it was a hostage situation, Ava and Tails wouldn't be strong enough to take Blaine on by themselves.

So, she lurked in the shadows. She watched and waited for a good time to leave and return to school. When she ran into Tails again, she would confront him. He had been acting weird the past few days, but surely, _surely_ there was a logical explanation to this.

•••••

Tails Prower was _really_ starting to get on Lorelei's nerves.

Skipping class? At _her_ school? After he'd already been sneaking around, trying to poke his nose in business that doesn't involve him? The idea made her chuckle, but it was filled with cruelty and a sick sense of humor.

"I need to get rid of him," she muttered. In the beginning, she thought Tails would be a strong addition to her plans. Now, she was regretting her decision.

"Tomorrow," she decided. "I'm going to get rid of him tomorrow."

* * *

I apologize for how short this is. I had a deadline to meet (which is today) because I'm going out of town this weekend and won't be home until Monday, and I hated not updating. So now it's 10:30 and I've got a lot of things to do before I leave tomorrow. I guess this is just a bonding-ish chapter for Blaine and Tails? Landon was supposed to be here, but I think maybe giving him a whole chapter to himself would be best. Kid's got some issues to work out, you know.

So.. Enjoy this. I'll be back Monday to make a longer chapter because there's an event (Lorelei's plan to fix her Tails problem, to be exact) that I have been _dying_ to write. Like, I'm really excited.

Leave a review and have an awesome day! :)


	11. Enlightenment

Previously on _King_...

 _Blaine and Tails begrudgingly became the infamous Bonnie and Clyde, striking fear into the hearts of retail workers and stealing things for their own personal gain! Meanwhile, Landon is trying to get in touch with himself and Lorelei is on her last straw with Tails._

 _Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Alma closed her eyes. She hummed a tune that didn't really sound like a song. Landon watched in disbelief, wondering how legit this whole process was. He glanced at his hands trapped in her grip, contemplating pulling away and spending the rest of the day watching movies in his room.

Before he could act on anything, his teacher spoke, "I sense a lot of power in you. When you unlock all of your chakras, that power will flow through your body like water escaping a dam."

Landon sighed. "Great. So, what's first?"

Alma released his hands and opened her eyes. "The first chakra we need to focus on is the root. It's located at the base of your spine."

"Okay," Landon said, nodding.

"Now the root affects our basic survival needs. The emotional impact it has on us is the ability to stand on our own. Your root chakra is quite strong, more so than my other students. Close your eyes and focus on that energy."

"How do I do that?" he asked as his eyes fell shut.

"Find what it is that powers your root. Why are you so independent? What life choices have you made to become the strong person you are today?"

Landon could feel his mind stretching, searching for that information. "What do I do once I find it?"

She closed her eyes. "Accept it."

His memory was a blotchy mess of greens and whites. Landon had seen the greens before. They appeared sometimes in a dream, but never clear enough for him to distinguish what it was. When he was younger, he longed to see the green pictures. Though at the age of thirteen, they were nothing more than annoying.

However, the white was familiar. Many see the white as a peaceful rainfall that glistens in the sun. Landon viewed it in a different light. White was not peaceful or heartwarming. It was cold and blinding, plaguing his memories with frostbite and hypothermia.

Images flashed like a camera, pictures of a young fox curled against a dumpster and stealing a scarf from a clothing shop and gazing at his hands as the pigment began to pale. White was everywhere, on the ground and in the sky. It highlighted the tattered clothes hanging loosely on the fox's body and the young face that gazed helplessly at each passerby.

How did he end up like that, scared and alone, living on the streets at such a young age? Landon remembered wondering for years. There was no clear answer. He racked his brain for years, hoping something would wash up and everything would make sense.

Once, he recalled a couple he had seen in his earlier years. Landon couldn't tell you what they looked like now. The only guess he could make was that they were his parents. But if that were true, why would they leave him in the streets like that? Why would they abandon him, leave him to survive alone in a white world?

And why, now that he was trying so hard to find them, couldn't he remember anything about them? When he was young, he had vague features. It wasn't much, but it was something to cherish. Now, he had nothing. Why did he have nothing?

Alma opened her eyes. She watched his face twist in confusion as he tried searching for questions he'd never considered before. Her heart hurt. She wished she could reach out and give him some answers.

Landon cracked an eye open. "Did I do it?"

His teacher sighed deeply. "No, you didn't. How do you feel?"

"Confused." He looked at his hands and added, "A little sad."

Over the years, Alma had mastered a neutral face when it came to talking about such things as missing memories. Still, it hurt every time one of her students brought it up.

Landon looked at her. "You can see what I can, right? Do you know why my memories are messed up like that?"

Alma stared for a moment. Oh, how she wanted to answer. How she wanted to spill the beans and tell him everything she knew. But that was against the rules.

So, she shook her head. She lied, "No, not at all. Let's continue."

Landon frowned. "I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Why should I continue to watch my memories fade?"

"You need to unlock these chakras to reach your full potential. Worry about missing memories later."

He looked at her. "What?"

Alma sighed. "That was a bit rude. What I mean is there are bigger things to worry about than a few cloudy moments."

Landon stared incredulously. " _Bigger things_? When I was younger, I could see my parents' faces! Now I can't! What's bigger than that?" He climbed to his feet slowly. "You're supposed to help me, aren't you? Why aren't you helping me now?"

She didn't answer.

"Thanks for the waste of time," he muttered bitterly.

Alma watched him leave. Another student gone, storming out because of her inability to help.

The door slammed shut.

She sighed.

•••••

Ava was waiting by her locker when Tails returned to school. Blaine had already split off at the gates, taking a different route to avoid people seeing and assuming.

"Hey there," Ava said as Tails approached.

"Hi," Tails replied. He stopped in front of his locker. As he began typing in the code, he realized he actually didn't need anything. His math class was going to be empty because everyone would be testing. With a shrug, he turned to Ava. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing, just going to class like a good student. Where were _you_ last period?"

Tails opened his mouth and closed it again.

Ava raised an eyebrow. "No, you don't have to say it. I saw it all." She leaned in close and whispered, "What were you doing with _Blaine Indigo_?! Was it a hostage situation? Blink twice if you need help."

"It started as a hostage situation," Tails admitted, "but then it wasn't so bad." The guy was still terrifying, but Tails would be lying if he said getting things for free wasn't exciting. It wasn't really stealing if the cashiers _said_ you could have it, right?

"So you guys are friends now?"

"I wouldn't go that far." He paused and raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing out of class?"

Ava rolled her eyes. "I was doing the admiral thing and saving my best friend from evil clutches."

Tails smirked. "We're best friends?"

She pursed her lips and rocked on her heels. "If we're being honest, you're my only friend. Therefore, you're the best." She smiled a bit, hoping to distract him from that lonesome confession.

Tails returned the smile. "Thanks. You're pretty cool too." He jerked his head to the side and, they began walking down the hall. "Hey, best friend?"

"Hm?"

"Is there like a lab or somewhere I can work in?"

Ava looked at him. "To do what? Are you an inventor?"

"Kinda. Yeah."

"Oh, cool! Yeah, um, I know there's a room in the basement that's been vacant for a few hundred years. It was the old shop room." She shrugged. "It's off limits to students, _but_ if you want to risk it, I hear the key is on top of the door."

"How do you know that?"

"I've got connections."

Tails snickered.

They stopped in front of an elevator, and Ava pressed the down button. "The room is on the left side of the hallway."

"You sure know a lot about a room you're not allowed to have access to."

She shrugged. "I might've explored this school one too many times."

The elevator doors slid open with a ding.

"Find me at lunch later!" Ava said, shoving him inside. "I want to hear all about it."

Tails flashed a thumbs up. "Will do. Bye!"

He pressed a button and the doors closed once more. The descent to the basement was smooth and quick. A second later, there was a ding and the elevator came to a stand still.

A long dark hallway greeted him when the doors opened. Square bulbs lined the walls providing dim lighting. The walls were stone and dripping with moisture. As Tails stepped off the elevator, he shuddered. It was colder than usual. He felt like he was standing in a cave.

Doors flanked the hallway. As Tails walked through, he tried reading the labels on the walls. Most signs had their letters scrubbed off or marked out. He could make out a few like _English II_ and _History I_.

Tails almost continued walking, but the possibilities of that history classroom piqued his interest. The class he was in now didn't offer much in the background of the school. In fact, the lesson they were learning at the moment was about Lorelei's ambitious decision to break past the barrier and interact with the outside world.

He rocked on his heels and glanced between the door and down the hall. Should he carry on and find the shop room to fill his inventor needs or stay and uncover the school's true history?

Tails sighed. His curiosity was already aroused, and it was too strong to ignore.

He jiggled the doorknob until the metal fell from its hinges and crashed to the floor. To be clear though, it fell on its own.

Tails took a step into the room while pressing buttons on his com. His luminous suit came to life with a bright yellow glow.

"And Sticks said this was a useless design," he muttered, shaking his head.

The room was a mess. From what he could see, papers and books lay scattered across the floor. Desks were turned on their sides and chairs randomly spotted the room. Tails took careful steps to avoid further damaging any of the books.

A heavy novel was wedged beneath a desk leg. Tails lifted the desk with one hand and grabbed the book with the other. He brushed off the cover and a cloud of dust made him sneeze.

"The History of White Valley," he read aloud. "It's pretty convenient that this is the first book I came across."

Tails pulls a chair up to the desk. He leans on the uneven side in hopes of keeping the thing still. Then he flips open the book to the first page.

"Chapter one," he read, sliding to the edge of his seat. "Koan the Clumsy."

•••••

A girl collided with Landon, knocking her to the ground.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Ava rubbed her side. "Tell that to my bruising hip," she groaned.

Landon offered a hand. She was hesitant at first, eyeing him suspiciously. He rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing, I'm just waiting for you to withdraw your hand with a teasing 'Sike!' and walk away because our last encounter involved you and your stupid friends kicking my bag down the stairs."

He pursed his lips. "That _was_ a little mean, wasn't it?"

"Just a bit. Not even baking muffins before school could redeem you for that."

Landon cracked a smile as he welcomed the first good memory of the day. He was glad he had that moment to lighten his mood. He met her eye and waved his hand as he said, "Well, this is sincere."

Ava grabbed his hand and Landon pulled her to her feet. She grabbed her bag from the floor and tossed it over her shoulder.

"Thanks," she breathed. As she adjusted the strap on her shoulder, she looked over his face. He was avoiding eye contact and sniffing and rubbing his face, totally not like him.

"Hey," Ava said softly, "are you okay? If you wanna talk, I'm a great listener."

Landon looked her over, not saying anything for a moment.

Her face fell as she finally realized what she had offered. "Or, um, I could let you go because it obviously isn't any of my business and we're not… Really… Friends. I'm sorry. I'll just… Go."

She turned to leave, cheeks burning. Why would Landon want to talk to _her_? They hardly know each other! And his friends hate her. They all hate her. So why-

Landon reached for her arm. His fingers brushed her fur and they both froze. A beat passed and neither spoke. Then, Landon dropped his arm and stepped back.

"Thanks for the offer," he said, averting his eyes like nothing even happened, "but I'm just going to head back to my room."

He turned and walked off before she could respond. For a moment, Ava stood there. Her skin was tingling, heart racing. She wondered, did he feel it too? Probably not. For that to happen, he'd need to have a crush on her first.

Ava shook her head as she headed toward the cafeteria. While there wasn't a chance he like her, her crush on him was flourishing.

The cafeteria was packed with middle schoolers. It was the liveliest the school had been since Lorelei's competition started. Ava spotted Tails at the end of a table with a tray in front of him. She walked slowly, listening in to upperclassmen tables as she passed.

"How'd you do in your exam?"

"Fine, I guess. I ran out of time on my last one, though!"

"That intelligence exam was so hard today. I hope I do better tomorrow."

"Really? I thought it was easy peasy!"

It sounded like the competition was going fairly well. Ava sighed, wishing. She didn't know exactly what she was wishing for, though. Was it to be apart of the event? Or to be apart of the plan? Either would be better than watching from the outside.

"Hi," Ava greeted as she sat across from Tails. She dropped her bag at her feet and rested her chin in her hands.

"Hey," Tails replied. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess." There were still tingles in the spot Landon touched her. What did it mean? What did he mean?

"You didn't grab any food."

"I'll get it in a minute."

He frowned. "Ava-"

"So what'd you find in the basement?"

He gave her a strange look, and she ignored it.

"Uh well, I didn't make it to the shop class because I found a history classroom first." Tails looked around, made sure no one was listening and leaned across the table. He lowered his voice and said, "I found the origins of White Valley. I know why this place is closed off from the rest of the world and barricaded."

Ava leaned forward as well as her eyes lit up with excitement. "Tell me!"

Tails sat back. "Can I trust you?"

"Of course?"

"No I mean, really. Can I trust you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we best friends?"

"Sure. That doesn't mean I can trust you with this."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Why are you-"

"What's the adjustment process?"  
She sat back as well. "What makes you think I know?"

"Blaine's right, you're a bad liar. You seemed to remember something when Charles brought up his memory loss in class."

Ava sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Or I guess Blaine's right. The adjustment process is basically clearing your mind of anything that isn't White Valley. Transitioning from the outside world to here can be hard sometimes. Lorelei created a solution to it. It's hard to miss your previous life when you can't remember it, right?"

"She erases memories?!" he cried.

"No!" She waved a hand and looked around, smiling sheepishly at those who turned to stare. "Keep your voice down! She doesn't erase memories, she just blocks them for a little while. When you adjust to living here, she restores the memories."

"How long does that take?! Charles has been here for months and he can't remember anything before White Valley."

Ava opened her mouth and closed it again. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked away and admitted, "I don't know."

"Ava, how much do you really know about Lorelei?"

"She's my _mother_ , Tails. I think I know enough."

"What?"

"Yeah."

"You- Why didn't you mention that before?"

"I didn't think it mattered."

"Lorelei…" Tails blinked. "She told you… She's your mother?"

"What do you mean _told_? She _is_ my mother."

Tails stared at her. His face was forlorn. He had a theory, and oh, it wasn't pretty. It was much worse now than he had imagined earlier.

Ava stared back. The longer he didn't speak, the more nervous she got. "What Tails? Tell me."

He explained slowly, "She was there when the kitsune kind was banished to this island."

"Banished?"

"Her husband Koan the Clumsy accidentally revealed himself among a group of humans four hundred years ago. Out of fear, the government sent the kitsune to the coldest island on the map, White Valley. They hoped the harsh temperatures would kill the kitsune. Instead, they evolved. Koan credited the survival to their god Inari. After Koan died, Lorelei took over. She started this academy for the new generations and left the island to search for kitsune born across the world."

"How'd she know there were more kitsune? Wait, never mind. I don't see how any of that affects me."

"I have a theory that she used the adjustment process on those she brought back from the outside. If they only remember White Valley, they won't try to go home."

Ava was quiet for a moment. She was taking everything in and trying to piece it all together. What was he getting at? That Lorelei… Brainwashed her? Lied to her? That wasn't… Lorelei wouldn't do that.

Tails watched her. "Ava?" he asked softly.

But, wait…

"Lorelei does the adjustment process," Ava muttered to herself.

"What was that?"

"Oh my gosh," Ava gasped. "I've been having periodic memory losses! I could never figure out why but… But Lorelei has the power to do that!"

"How many times has that happened?"

"Three times in the last nine months."

"Any this month?"

"Yeah, a few days ago."

"What, days?! Why would she-" Tails stopped and tried gathering his thoughts. Why would Lorelei erase Ava's memories when she seems to care so much for the sixth grader? "Okay, think. Has she ever threatened to do it before?"

Ava snapped her fingers. "She was just about to leave to get you and I asked if I could go."

"Why would she care about that?"

"Maybe it was because I was asking too many questions."

"What day was that? How much did you forget?"

"Monday. I can't remember any of that day."

"Okay um, I can't think of anything significant that happened Monday."

Ava shook her head. "It was probably something you said. I'm supposed to report things back to her."

Tails' eyes widened. "Why?"

"She told me to report any questions you had back to her so she could answer and make you feel more at home."

"Or so she could be aware if I start getting suspicious of her plans, which I totally am. Sonic told me a few days ago that Lorelei was planning a revolution or something."

"Sonic? You mentioned him when we were baking, right?"

Tails nodded. "I also mentioned him…" He rolled his eyes back, thinking. He knew he'd brought Sonic up before. It was the first time he told Ava about it. But when was that? "On Monday, when we were eating dinner!"

"Maybe I researched him or something and found something I shouldn't have. Tell me about him again?"

"He's this blue hedgehog that can run faster than the speed of sound and he battles his arch nemesis Dr. Eggman."

"Dr. Eggman? Wait, I've heard of him! Lorelei-"

"Visited him a few days ago, I know. Sonic and our friend Amy snuck into Eggman's lair and eavesdropped on the conversation."  
Ava made a face. "So you guys condone eavesdropping on your island?"

"When it involves Eggman? Yes."

"So… She erased my memory of Monday because she was- No, that sounds bad. Maybe she was keeping me safe! No, that's still not that great…"

Tails pursed his lips. He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "There aren't a lot of good scenarios to this."  
She frowned. Slowly, she pulled her hand from his. "I gotta go… Make sense of this."

"Okay. I was planning to go back down there—the shop room this time. I really need to make some more communicators."

"For who?"

"You and Landon, if he wants to help. We need to get to the bottom of this 'revolution' and comms will really come in handy."

Ava smiled, but it wasn't her usual grin. This lacked its genuine touch and warm feel. "Cool idea! I'll be there. How about after school?"

Tails nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Ava grabbed her bag and rose to her feet. As she turned away, Tails called, "Hey, go grab some food."

She glanced over his empty tray. "What do they have?"

"Hamburgers."

"…Okay."

Tails watched her weave through tables. She strolled into the lunch line on one end and exited the other, a ghostly smile on her face as someone yelled at her for cutting line.

He sighed. _I hope she'll be okay_.

•••••

A boy collided with her outside the cafeteria, and he stumbled.

"Watch it," he growled.

Ava didn't even look at him. "Sorry," she said. She took a few more steps before breaking into a run.

A part of him wanted to follow and ask if she was okay, because that's what she did for him only an hour earlier.

She was too far now, though. He sighed and walked on.

•••••

"So, what're we doing down here?" Landon asked as he pushed open the door leading to the shop class. While he flipped a light on, Tails rushed past and claimed a table. There were ten tables across the room, each accompanied by an electric saw.

Tails dropped his tool bag on the table and coughed, waving away a cloud of saw dust. He explained, "I need to make a few more sets of communicators."

"Why?"

"We need to be able to talk to each other if something happens."

Landon walked over to the table and grabbed a screwdriver. As he inspected it, he asked, "What's gonna happen?"

Tails watched him for a moment. Has he never seen a screwdriver? "Well, Lorelei's being suspicious and is probably up to no good, so who knows?"

"Wait, wait, back up. Since when is Lorelei suspicious and up to no good?"

Tails headed to the back up the classroom. He began raiding the supply closet and drawers and tossing whatever he needed on the table behind him. "It's kind of a long story, but you remember how I said my brother Sonic fights bad guys?"

"Yeah?"

"Well the main bad guy is Dr. Eggman."

"Right, I remember him."

Tails tipped a tub of gears toward him. "Too big," he muttered. He pushed the tub back in its place and moved onto the next one. "Well," he continued, raising his voice, "Lorelei left a few days ago to meet with Eggman. Sonic and our friend Amy overheard the conversation, and we've all decided she's up to no good."

"Just like that? They overhear a bad conversation and it's all 'She's evil! Burn her! Ahh!'"

Tails threw a look over his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow and the two stared at each other for a moment. Landon tossed the screwdriver on the bag and shrugged.

"I just mean you sound like you're jumping to conclusions."

"We're not. We're usually good at picking out the bad guys."

The door creaked open as Ava crept inside. "Hey, I brought snacks." She sat her bag next to Tails' and looked around. "This place smells like wood and mothballs."

Tails chuckled as he continued searching. Landon and Ava looked at each other. She offered a small smile as a greeting.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Fine. Are you?"

"Uh-huh."

They didn't look away. Landon narrowed his eyes, challenging her to confess. She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. He could hear her heart, _badambadumbadum_.

Why is she always so nervous around me?

"So," Landon said, never breaking eye contact, "you're part of the Anti Lorelei Club?"

Ava blinked. "I, uh, yeah, guess I am now. Are _you_?"

Landon shrugged. "I haven't heard any _actual_ evidence against her." He raised his voice so Tails could hear. The two tailed fox didn't seem to hear as he began to lift off the ground and rise above the top shelf so he could peek inside.

"Oh yeah," Landon added, pointing at his roommate, "did you know he can do that?"

Ava spun around, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Whoa!" she cried. "That's awesome!"

When Tails landed, he turned to the table piled high with junk and met his friend's eye. "What?"

"You can fly!"

"Oh yeah, pretty cool huh?"

" _Beyond_ cool! I wanna fly!"

Tails smiled. "When you turn one hundred, I'll show you how." He scooped his finds into his arms and walked back to the first table. "Okay, let's get started." He pulled a stool out from under the table and took a seat.

"Start from the beginning," Landon said. He took a seat on the other side of the table. Ava pulled over a stool from the side. "What's the deal with Lorelei?"

"Why'd you bring him into it?" Ava asked.

"Cause we're roommates?"

" _Oh my god they were roommates_ ," she whispered.

"What?" the boys asked.

"Nothing."

Tails shook his head. "You guys are the only people I talk to here, and I can't do this on my own."

"Well, maybe I don't want him to know." She regarded him with a look that spoke louder than words. She was hesitant and distant, eyeing him like he was the enemy just crossing over.

Landon was hesitant, too. He chose his next words carefully, "If you tell me… I'll tell you."

Tails looked between them. There was something he was missing, something he wasn't apart of.

Ava nodded slowly. "Deal."

Tails chose to let it drop. It clearly wasn't his business.

The next two hours were well spent getting Landon up to speed. Ava did most of the talking while Tails worked on the communicators. She found a radio in the corner and the only station that wasn't fill with static was a smooth jazz. Ava found it the perfect music to launch into the story of Lorelei's wicked ways. Tails didn't think they noticed when he got up to steal some wiring from the lights in another room. When he returned, they were lost in their own conversation.

When Tails finally laid down his screwdriver, Landon was just finishing up the last donut. He and Ava ran out of things to talk about and had turned to watching Tails work. They fell into a comfortable silence that Tails welcomed. He loved company, but working in peace and quiet was bliss.

"Done," he announced, looking over his masterpieces, three small communicators laying on their sides. "They certainly aren't perfect, but it'll work. If we ever head to my house, I can upgrade them. Still, they'll work good enough for now." He was right, they looked a bit homemade. The bands were made out of rubber rulers and glued together with hot glue, for heaven's sake. However, he managed to connect the signals to whatever radio tower the music box in the corner used and the communicators gave off a low hum that seemed to mean they were alive and working.

Tails handed each of his friends a device. "Spread out; we have to make sure these work."

"How do we talk?"

"Press the blue button once to talk, twice to mute."

Ava snickered. "Good idea. I'll run down the hall!" She slid the device over her hand and gave it a gentle shake. It didn't cling to her wrist, but it wasn't so loose that it'd slide off. It was practically perfect, she decided.

After Ava jogged out the door, Landon pointed in the other direction. "I guess I'll head toward the elevator."

Tails nodded. He pressed the blue button once and said, "Ava, can you hear me?"  
Her voice came through a bit scratchy, "Yes I can! Wow!"

"Landon?"

"Loud and clear," he answered. "Actually, quiet and static-y, but I can still hear you."

Tails smiled. "I guess that's good enough. Come on back." He began packing up his gear as his friends returned.

"Does this mean I can ask for answers on that science test coming up?" Ava asked as she strolled back into the room.

Tails shook his head. "These have to remain a secret. If somebody finds these, we're all in trouble."

Landon pressed his lips together. "This is kind of cool being all secretive and stuff."

"We need undercover names!" Ava exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement. "Tails, you could be Double T."

Tails laughed, "Why?"

"Cause you have two tails. And Landon, you can be L Antoni."

"How do you come up with these things?" Landon asked.

"It's my hidden talent. Well go on, give me one!"

The boys looked at each other. Tails leaned against the table and rubbed his chin as he thought. "It has to rhyme," he decided. "Double T, L Antoni, we have a pattern going here."

Landon shook his head. "I guess we don't have the same talent as her."

Ava sighed. "C'mon, guys! I gave you really cool ones."

Tails looked at Landon. Landon stared back and shrugged.

"We'll get back to you," Tails decided.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but it better be good!"  
"It will be! Promise," Landon said. Though, his tone sounded less reassuring and more sarcastic.

"We should get going before someone catches us down here," Tails advised. He led the way out and down the hall.

As he waited for the elevator, he glanced over his shoulder. Ava and Landon were walking particularly slow, caught up in their own conversation.

"You owe me an explanation," she said quietly.

"Yeah, I know," Landon sighed. "I'll tell you later. Tomorrow, maybe?"

"Sure, sounds good."

He gnawed on his lip. "Hey, I'm sorry about Lorelei. She really is kind of evil."

Ava smiled, and it didn't reach her eyes. "It's okay. I should've known something was off when she never let me call her mom. I mean, I didn't even know that was a thing until… Actually, until I heard Blaine mention his mom a few months ago. Weird."

The elevator dinged at the other end of the hall. Tails stepped on and turned. He contemplated leaving them to catch the next _all by themselves_ , but Landon caught up with a jog.

Tails smiled as his friends squeezed it. He had a sinking feeling that he had another Sonic and Amy on his hands.

•••••

The next day, the trio found themselves in very different situations.

Tails headed for the basement before school started; he needed to find out more about White Valley's history. Maybe there was something on that island worth looking into. He'd at least catch Sonic up and then see what to do next.

The halls were empty when he snuck through the front door. There were a few teachers heading into the main office, but other than that there was silence.

As Tails made his way into the elevator, a pair of eyes watched from around the corner. When the doors slid shut, the watcher moved. They stepped into the other elevator and smirked as they were enclosed in the small space.

During lunch, Landon took a seat at his usual table. For some reason though, sitting with them felt foreign. Still, they greeted him with smiles and bro hugs. Brody was in the middle of it, gloating about passing the intelligence exam the day before.

"I'm gonna crush whoever's left and finally leave the damned place," he declared and earned a round of encouragement from his friends. When Brody looked up, he met Landon's eye. "Oh hey Landon, where have you been?"

Landon opened his milk and shrugged. "Around."

"Heard you've been learning about your chakras or whatever that hippie shit is." Chuckles echoed around the table.

Landon rolled his eyes. "It wasn't like that."

"No? Then what have you been doing, huh? Hanging out with that two tailed loser and his bitch?"

Landon narrowed his eyes. "Shut it, Brody."

A dark figure suddenly stopped beside the table. Brody and his friends fell silent, staring up at the new comer with wide eyes. Landon paused. There was only one person who could make even jerks like Brody freeze in fear.

"Landon," Blaine said or, well, _ordered_ , "where's your roommate?"

Landon looked up at him. This kid was a year younger, why was he so big?

"Why should I tell you?" Landon didn't actually know where Tails was. Actually, he hadn't seen his roommate at all that day. Still, that didn't mean Blaine should know that.

"Because I asked _nicely_."

"Good point." Great point, actually. Landon was no idiot; he knew what Void types were capable of. Quickly, Landon grabbed his tray and nodded for Blaine to follow.

"Why do you need him?" Landon asked. He dumped his tray and placed it on the conveyor belt rotating toward the kitchen.

"We have a project due tomorrow, and he's the only person in my group that I care to talk to."

"Fair enough. Well I'm not exactly sure where he is, but I'm sure he can't be hard to find. C'mon."

While Landon was wearily leading Blaine Indigo around campus, Ava was upstairs making spaghetti. She dumped the pasta in the boiling water and watched for a moment.

"Again," she sighed, "I wish I was a Fire type."

There was a voice down the hall. It wasn't anybody Ava had heard before, and it was coming from Lorelei's room. With a quick glance at her spaghetti, she tip toed down the hall to get a better look.

Lorelei was amused by whoever she was speaking to. "This isn't a hate crime, Sonic. He broke the rules, and this is his punishment."

 _Sonic_. Ava pressed against the wall for support as she leaned forward.

"If you've hurt him Lorelei I swear to god," Sonic growled. Ava blinked in surprise. He sounded so vicious and hateful, nothing like she was expecting.

"Don't be so dramatic, hedgehog. This is a school for heaven's sake. I'd never harm my students. Now if that's all, I have some matters to tend to."

Sonic was in the middle of another threat when she ended the call. With a chuckle, she tossed the communicator onto the desk. Then, she rose to her feet and turned toward the windows overlooking the campus.

Ava peeked around the corner and watched. What was Lorelei waiting for? Ava didn't know, and she couldn't risk asking herself for ideas.

Then, there was an explosion that knocked Ava off her feet.

* * *

So in a few days, I'll be moving into college and starting school. I don't know how things work around a college schedule, so I don't know when I'll be able to update again. That and because I'm a month late, I decided to make this one extra long. Hopefully, you'll hear from me again soon! :)


	12. Mayday

Previously on _King_ …

 _Landon tried tapping into his chakras, but he discovered more than he wanted to. Tails made a discovery in the library, and Ava found out some disturbing stuff as well. Tails created new communicators for them to use so they can speak easier on the mission to stop Lorelei. The next day, Tails is in the library, Landon gets stuck roaming the campus with Blaine, and Ava's spaghetti lunch is cut short by an explosion that knocks her off her feet._

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The elevator doors opened on the basement floor. Lorelei stepped off and clasped her hands behind her back. She took her time walking down the hall, peering at the old doors she hadn't seen in a year or so. Nobody really visited the basement anymore. She thought she ordered someone to ban students from reaching the floor, but clearly that person didn't fulfill their duties.

A door squeaked as it rocked on its hinges. The corner of Lorelei's mouth twitched, and she neared the classroom. It was a history room decorated with tattered books and loose paper. She lingered outside the door and listened.

"So, what do you think's on that island?" Sonic asked. His voice echoed through the room.

Tails sighed. "I don't know, really. I hope there's stuff on Lorelei there, like if she's working for someone or something. Or maybe…"

"Maybe?"

"You remember my friend Ava?"

"Mmhm."

"I think Lorelei kidnapped her when Ava was a younger."

There was a beat of silence. Then, "I wouldn't put it past her, that _bitch_."

Tails snorted.

Lorelei scowled. She lingered in the doorway, glaring at the kit's back as he stepped around a pile of books. _Oh, how easy it would be to just_ , she raised her hand, fingers glowing a soft purple.

Tails turned, gazing at an old newspaper nearly torn to shreds. "Yeah, and I told—" He raised his chin and met Lorelei's gaze. He froze, his words faltering as his eyes fell to the purple glint around her hand.

"Tails?"

"Tell him you'll talk later," she whispered, raising her fingers and inching into the room.

Tails swallowed. He glanced at the communicator and mumbled, "I gotta go, Sonic. I'll talk to you later." He pressed a button and looked at Lorelei again.

She glared down the bridge of her nose. "I don't believe you're allowed down here."

"I, uhh, didn't know that. You should really put a sign up."

Lorelei was not convinced. She held out her hand and ordered, "Give me your communicator."

Tails took a step back, hiding his wrist behind his back. "What? No."

"We are on the brink of revealing ourselves to the world again. I can't afford you getting in my way more than you already have." She glowered for good measure.

" _No_."

She sighed. "Whether you like it or not, I'm taking that communicator."

He narrowed his eyes. With his other hand, he grabbed a book and flung it at her head. As she deflected it with her fist, he ducked out of her reach and bolted for the door.

 _So close_ , he cried, leaping over a trail of books. He thrust his hand forward, reaching for the doorknob…

Lorelei raised a hand. Her fingers glowed a light pink, and the younger fox froze mid-step. The light pink outlined Tails' body as his muscles stiffened and his mind went blank. He jerked and tried his best to break free of whatever she had him trapped in, but to no avail.

"Let me introduce you to a Mind type," Lorelei said, stepping around him. She waved her fingers in his face, showing off the pink tint around her hand. With a smirk, she explained, "I can command you with the snap of my fingers. I can turn you into my personal minion, controlling every step, every _breath_ you take." Lorelei raised her fingers, and Tails' body followed the movements. He took a step back and straightened his spine. She added, "I know what you're going to do before you even do it."

Tails squinted. Lorelei nodded, smiling, answering his silent question, "Yes, you're right. What's the fun in being a Mind type if I can't read minds?"

She reached forward, grabbing Tails' wrist. Quickly, she slipped the communicator off his wrist and dangled it in front of him.

"Take this as a warning," she said, smirking as his eyes moved with the wrist band. "You cannot stop me, child. So stay out of it, or next time I'll do more than take your silly invention."

She didn't elaborate, but she didn't have to. Tails was smart enough to fill in the blanks, and it had nothing to do with the friends he'd made on the island.

Lorelei slammed the door behind her. She didn't drop her power until the doors of the elevator slid shut.

Tails crumbled to his knees. His wrist felt cold, for the first time in years. There was this heavy stone sinking in his gut, an emotion he only experienced in dreams these days. He couldn't talk to Sonic anymore! Or Amy, Knuckles… That communicator was his one link to home, and she took it! How could she just _take_ it?!

He slammed a fist to the ground. A flurry of papers whipped around the room in an angry whirlwind. It wasn't fair. _She_ wasn't fair. First, she kidnapped Ava. Then, she cut off all communication Tails had to his family back home!

Tails growled, climbing to his feet. How was he gonna do this on his own? Figure out Lorelei's plans, save the academy, keep a low profile so no one noticed what was actually going on…

He took a step forward, and the room spun. Must be a side effect from mind control, he thought bitterly. He needed somewhere to clear his head, somewhere away from everything.

Back home, he had access to his plane. He'd fly around the island for hours, enjoying the warm breeze and the steady turbulence rocking the wings beneath. Oh, what he wouldn't give for his Tornado.

But… But the academy had its own hangar, didn't it? A building full of planes, jets, something for him to escape in…

Tails took another step toward the door. His vision was blurry, but it was clearing up. He trudged forward, dragging a hand down his face as he headed for the elevator.

 _Just one flight_ , he promised. _Real quick. I'll be back before anyone knows._

He stepped in the elevator, and the doors slid shut.

•••••

Blaine was summoned to the outskirts of town by a mysterious creature dressed in dark rags. He frightened Blaine's peers as he walked, his one good eye glaring at the young foxes while the other glistening blankly beneath the hazy sun.

Blaine recognized the man as his uncle Thomas. Thomas spoke one word, "Indigo."

It was enough to lead Blaine ducking into the woods to find his mother's hideout a few miles outside of town.

His cousins greeted him with smiles as he passed. Some of the younger kids yelled his name and tried racing toward him, but their older siblings pulled them to a halt.

Blaine hardly ever came home, so when he did, it had to be for something serious.

The one-eyed uncle stopped outside the entrance of a cave. The entrance was covered by a thin wall of ice coated leaves from the willow tree looming over the archway. A warm light flickered beyond the branches. Blaine took a deep breath.

Her eyes were what almost made him turn back around. Two purple glowing orbs under a dim light glared from across the room. Her silky black fur really made her eyes pop.

"How are you doing in the competition?" she asked.

Blaine didn't answer at first. He lingered by the doorway, ready to make a break for it if need be. With a sigh, he answered, "I'm not in the competition."

His mom clenched her hand into a fist. Blaine took a deep breath; the air was beginning to thin.

"And why not?"

"I don't want to do it, mom."

She stalked forward, purple eyes seeming to darken with every step. The air was too thin to breathe. Blaine coughed into his hand. His throat was starting to close up.

"I don't give a damn what you want," she growled, stopping a few feet from him. She had to tilt her chin back to meet his eye. He may have beaten her in height, but what she lacked in elevation she made up for with power. With a simple flick of the wrist, she could suck all the air from his lungs in a second.

"You are the only one who can get close enough to Lorelei," she said. "You have to kill her, Blaine. For me, for us."

Blaine hated when his mom brought that up. The story was still fresh in his mind, and the guilt always ate away his insides.

He looked at her for a second before turning away. "How do you know I'm as strong as you think I am?"

"Because you're an Indigo." She reached a hand up and hooked a claw beneath his chin. Gently, she turned his head to meet his eye. "You're also a Void, my dear. If anyone has the power to do it, you do."

Blaine knew he was strong. He was easily the most powerful in his grade, but did he really have the strength to kill someone? Take their life and end it forever? His shoulders slumped at the thought.

"Hey," she cooed, "don't think too much."

"You're asking me to kill someone."

His mother's eyes hardened. "If I can do it, you can do it."

" _Mom_ —"

"Blaine!" Her voice echoed off the cave walls.

He glanced over his shoulder; surely, everyone out there heard that, too.

"Blaine," she repeated, softer this time, "honey, you are our _one chance_ to get revenge. Do it for your father, at least."

Oh yeah, there was the guilt piling back up. _Do it for your dead father, make him proud, son!_ Unbelievable, how could she pit that on her thirteen-year-old son?

It was working, though. He couldn't remember much since his father died when Blaine was only a year old, but his mother spoke highly every time Blaine asked.

Blaine's father was a brave man, always standing up for what he believed in. He was strong, too. Mom said he was a Void type. She could never go into detail about what happened, though. Blaine was always confused about it. If he was a Void, one of the most power types known, how could he have been killed?

His mother stared at him, eyes wide with desperation. She needed this. Without her son, she had no chance of getting the revenge she'd been longing after for thirteen years. She needed him to agree and finally give her the opportunity she'd waited so patiently for.

Blaine sighed. He raised his chin because the last thing she wanted to see was uncertainty in his eyes. Blaine met her gaze and confirmed, "I'll find a way, Mom. I promise."

His mother beamed. She leaned forward, and Blaine thought she was going in for a hug. To his dismay, she only clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Thank you, my boy. Do me proud."

And then, she turned away. She returned to the dusty grey couch she was sitting on when he arrived. There was a small TV on a table in front of the couch. She flicked the TV on and stared at the blank blue screen. No matter how hard they tried, they never managed to find a connection long enough to actually watch something.

"It's her fault we're out here," his mother mumbled. " _Everything_ _is her fault_."

As Blaine rushed out of the cave and back into town, he knew he needed a distraction. If he spent the rest of the day thinking about how his destiny is to kill his headmistress, he might go insane.

Maybe he can bury himself in that project due tomorrow.

•••••

"We need a codename for LY."

"LY?" Landon repeated with a smirk. He pushed through the front doors of the cafeteria and headed for the line of students flowing out of the kitchen.

"You know who."

"Yeah, I just wonder where you get these dumb nicknames from."

Ava scoffed. "They're not dumb!" The faulty wiring caused her voice to come through the communicator scratchy and faint. Landon wondered how long it'd be before the devices cut out altogether.

"They're kind of dumb." Someone in front of Landon spun around and looked him over, confusion falling over their features. Landon flashed a smile and turned away. It was easier to let someone think he was talking to himself, he decided.

"Hey, have you talked to Tails?" she asked suddenly.

"No, he left before I did this morning. Why?"

"We have a test in an hour, and I need his help to pass."

"These things aren't for cheating, Ava."

"No, but they _could_ be."

Landon rolled his eyes as he moved forward. He scanned the cafeteria for a place to sit, but his gaze swept across something else. Brody and his roommate Mason were walking to a table in the back corner. Their path was intercepted by a light brown eighth grader, whose face was twisted in anger. There were dark patches against his cheek and spotted down his neck. Landon figured it was blood.

Brody and the eighth grader fell into a conversation that soon escalated into the older taking a threatening step forward and Brody watching with a smug grin, unfazed. Landon absently took a step forward when he saw the line move, but his attention was on the potential fight.

"You cheated!" the eighth grader finally shouted. The cafeteria fell silent.

Brody looked around. The attention only made his grin grow. He turned back to his peer and responded loudly, "Anything goes, Nate. Don't be a sore loser."

Nate growled. He swung a fist, and a ball of fire barreled at Brody's head. Brody ducked. The fireball exploded into a trashcan sitting innocently in the corner.

Brody raised a hand toward Nate, fingers glowing a dark blue. The power rolled off his fingers and wrapped around Nate's neck. The older froze and his shoulders tensed.

Gasps rippled throughout the room. Nate's hands grabbed at his throat as he gasped and coughed. Brody took a step forward. His back was turned to most of the cafeteria, but Nate saw it, the way Brody's eyes flashed like lightning.

A sigh fell from Landon's lips. He shifted away with the shake of his head. "Geez, Brody," he muttered. He _knew_ teaching Brody the chakra attacks were a bad idea.

Brody dropped his hand, and the defense fell. Nate stumbled, nearly crumbling to his knees. The anger was gone from his eyes, and a glazed over stare took its place.

They didn't exchange anymore words. Brody looked Nate over once more before carrying on to his seat. The cafeteria slowly returned to normal. Landon's gaze lingered on Brody's retreating back.

 _I guess this means Brody's still in the competition_ , he thought as he took a step into the kitchen.

"Landon."

He turned at the sound of his name, and his eyes widened an inch. Blaine stood behind him, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at Landon with darker eyes than usual.

"Uh, hey," Landon greeted wearily.

"Where's your roommate?"

"I don't know. Why?" Blaine scowled, and Landon backtracked. "I guess I could help you find him."

"Yeah, that'd be nice."

Landon nodded slowly as he stepped out of line. The girl behind him threw a sympathetic smile in his direction, silently passing on a dose of luck because they both know he'll need it.

"We can start at the library, I guess," Landon said, heading for the front doors. He wasn't expecting Tails to actually be in the library. If he wasn't in class, the younger fox was probably back in the school's basement, but maybe if Landon _tried_ finding Tails and failed, Blaine would leave them both alone.

A harsh wind hit the boys in the face when they stepped outside, and they shivered. Landon looked at the ground as snow brushed past his nose. They headed down the steps and across the street toward a tall two-story building with an arched entrance.

"What do you need him for?" Landon asked again, glancing at the bully over his shoulder.

"We're working on a project together."

Landon hummed. Blaine was the last person he'd think would care about a school project.

As they climbed the library stairs, an airplane flew over the campus. Neither boy spared it even a glance.

•••••

The ground shook when Landon stepped back outside.

He was barely out the door when a deafening crack of thunder erupted through the campus. The stone beneath his feet trembled; it was difficult to step forward without stumbling. What sort of storm could bring that much power? Landon looked to his right, the direction of the thunder.

Then, he felt the fire.

It was hot enough to make his forehead sweat, bright enough to force his eyes away. That was no storm, he discovered. No, that was a bomb. It was an explosion, a ball of fire and ash in the shape of an airplane wing. He turned back, raising an arm to shield his eyes from the flames.

A second later, another shape was revealed. It was only for a split second, but Landon could make out the body of a jet taking a nosedive toward the heart of the forest.

"What was that?" a girl gasped from somewhere behind him.

"Guardians, had to be," her friend answered.

"But why would they shoot down the school's plane?"

Landon flinched when Blaine joined him at the bottom of the stairs. He barely spared the bully a glance because his mind was too busy reeling over the girl's question, _why would they shoot down the school's plane?_

They wouldn't. Easy. The Guardians would not shoot down the school's planes, ever. They work for Lorelei, after all. So why was this different?

Blaine looked around. A cloud of ash was falling over the forest, his classmates were frozen on the sidewalk. Landon's eyebrows were drawn together as his mouth moved too softly for Blaine to catch the words.

"What happened?" Blaine asked.

Landon shook his head, refusing to meet Blaine's gaze. Who was in that plane? Whoever it was wasn't heading toward the barrier, so why would the Guardians shoot them down?

A voice cracked through his communicator, and Landon's breath caught in his throat.

•••••

The fire eating up the wing was beginning to tear through the metal and claw its way into the cockpit.

Tails was frantic, pressing any buttons he thought could help extinguish the flames and cool down the plane. The trees were coming fast, too fast for comfort. He paused his attempts on the dashboard and grabbed the control wheel with both hands. Tails leaned back in his seat and pulled the wheel with him.

"C'mon," he breathed. "Pull up. C'mon." If he could just level the plane out, the crash would be a lot easier to manage; his chances of survival would be greater, too.

His grip was slipping, hands too sweaty.

Tails wiped his palms against his fur and tried again. He gnawed on his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"C'mon," he begged. The wheel lurched toward him, just a tiny bit. The plane rose an inch.

Tails hardly noticed. Smoke had filled the cockpit; it was beginning to make his eyes water. The fire was getting closer, he could feel his skin start to boil.

"Please," he cried. "Pull up, please pull up!"

Fear sparked in his stomach as the pine trees spiraled toward him. At this angle and speed, he was going to die. The mass of the plane mixed with the fire would surely explode on impact. Tails sat back and wiped the sweat from his eyes. Actually, they were tears, but he didn't want to be known as someone who cried in his last moments.

Tails glanced at the communicator on his wrist. He'd strapped it on before takeoff. With a trembling finger, he pressed the blue button.

"Ava," he breathed, "Landon. I don't have a lot of time. I'm really glad I met you guys here. Please don't let Lorelei win."

Tree branches smacked against the windshield. Tails stared at the snowy ground, inching closer and closer at a speed he couldn't process.

Of all the ways he could've gone out, it was a dumb plane crash. Shouldn't he be immune to them by now?

"And tell Sonic—"

He never got a chance to finish that statement because the plane finally crashed into the earth, and the world fell silent.

* * *

I am SO SORRY this is late! I didn't even realize how long it had been since my last update! Things have just been busy. I took a math final today, fingers crossed I did okay! Now I'm on fall break, so I should have time to write up the next chapter. I'll try my best to get it up sooner than this one did.

Thanks again for reading! Tell me what you thought, and I hope you have an awesome day :)


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